A Well Timed Interruption
by Genki-angel-chan
Summary: Ciel looked down at his form, frowning. "This is all different shades of wrong". Sebastian smiled, "I personally find you adorable, young master." Ciel glared,"Shut up." A different time. A different body. The same bond. SebastianxCiel.
1. Obstinate Beauty

Author's Note: I'm not telling you guys anything. It'll seem weird at first, but give the story a chance. I hope you support me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji.

* * *

The photographer ducked behind the curtain of his camera, and took a picture of the two teenagers awkwardly standing next to each other. The smile on the young man was nervous, and was nonexistent on the girl's face. The cameraman had given up on trying to coax the youths into smiling for the picture about fifteen minutes ago.

Two handsome gentlemen behind the camera man were grinning. The younger of the two men called out, "Aw, for bloody sake man. Hold the girl! You're going to be marrying her in a month after all!"

The red headed male looked down at his female companion and she glared up at him with barely concealed rage, clearly stating she wouldn't be responsible for her actions if he tried to embrace her. Especially in front of her father and brother, lest she give them a tiny ray of hope that this _farce_ of an engagement would all play out well.

"Er, modest pictures are better yeah?" Henry Albert Jones replied hesitantly, not wanting to out rightly refuse his soon-to-be inlaws' request. He rubbed the back of his head, eyes flicking uncertainly between the beauty at his side and her family.

The younger of the men behind the cameraman laughed. "Don't worry mate, she won't break your arm if you just put it around her waist."

The livid girl practically growled up at her (unwanted) fiancée. "It would _behoove_ you to not tempt me to do just that."

The older of the two men sighed and frowned at his daughter with disapproval. "Behave yourself; we need at least one picture of you two that doesn't have you standing like statues or you trying to set the camera on fire with your eyes. Now let him put an arm around you, and conduct yourself in a manor befitting a lady of the Phantomhive family."

The young woman scowled at her father, and then looked ahead at the camera, her arms still crossed. Henry tried to look at her for permission, and when she turned her face away from him he figured that was as close to a 'yes' as he was going to get. Timidly, he put his right arm behind her back and let his hand settle stiffly on the curve of her waist. She tensed under his touch, as though it revolted her. It probably did.

The father of his fiancée smiled in approval. "There we go, that looks much better."

Her brother snickered, "Except that sissy still looks like she has a icicle up her-"

"Hold your tongue, James. please take the picture before my daughter combusts from overexerting herself. This will be the last."

thanked God under his breath and once again ducked under the curtain of his camera. "Alright. One…two…three…hold that pose!" The flash of gunpowder went off, and Henry felt his eyes water from repressing the urge to blink.

Vincent Alec Phantomhive II clapped his hands together, smiling at his daughter and her intended. "Well that's a wrap. Come along you two, my mother is probably waiting for us with tea."

In a flash, she wrenched away from under Henry's arm and strode up ahead of the three men and towards the mansion. Vincent and James waited for their almost-in law, both smiling encouragingly.

"She hates me. And I don't even know why! I've been perfectly polite to her!" Henry bemoaned once his fiancée was out of ear shot. "She acts as though I murdered her family and beloved pussycat or something!"

Vincent clapped a hand on the young man's back. "She doesn't hate you. She hates the situation." He sighed, "She's been against this arranged marriage from the start, and doesn't like that I'm making her do this."

His son James grinned. "Father, really? 'Doesn't like' isn't the way to describe it. She'd probably sell her soul to Lucifer if it meant getting out of walking down the aisle in a white dress."

Vincent cleared his throat lightly. "Anyway, she's stubborn. Not one of her admirable traits, of course. She'll warm up to you though."

"After a decade or three." James offered, still madly grinning.

Henry's worried hazel eyes gazed at his future inlaws. They acted like everything was going to work out. They were completely confident about all of this, in the way only noble blooded aristocrats could be confident. "I don't think so. I'm sure she's going to run away."

Vincent laughed, a rich warm sound. "Oh, she can try. But, there are reasons why I have guards standing outside her door and around the mansion. I've taken my mother's advice, and I'm proud to say my guards and myself have foiled four of my dearest girl's escape attempts."

"Advice?" Henry perked up; maybe it would help him deal with his fractious bride-to-be.

Vincent smiled, "Oh yes. My mother said that she's just like my late father in that she's always angry, and incredibly stubborn. And thus, will do anything to get her way with or without legal means."

Henry deflated. "So she gets it from her grandfather. It's genetic, which means I'm _ruined_."

James snickered again, and wrapped and arm around Henry's neck. "Henny ol' boy, I hope you're healthy because marriage with my sister is not good for the faint-hearted."

The earl of Phantomhive laughed softly as he opened the door for the young men, "On the bright side, my boy, you'll never be bored with her."

Henry looked at his upcoming father in law weakly, not bothering to hide that his statement wasn't the least bit helpful.

* * *

Ciel Briar Phantomhive II threw herself on her bed and screamed into a silk pillow; releasing all the pent up fury she'd been harboring all afternoon. She didn't care that she should be in the parlor having tea with her father, brother, and…and her…her…-disgust welled in her-_fiancée_.

She sat up and punched the innocent object, imagining her father's face on it.

It wasn't fair. James wasn't engaged to be married and he was three years older than her! It was because she was a damn woman, and could be used as a pawn in some grand political marriage scheme. For the past three weeks she'd barely even glanced at her father, so angry with the situation was she. It made her so angry, to be _used_.

To be put in such a situation like this, it was beyond humiliating. It destroyed her pride, she rejected her father's plan from the moment the proposition came forth from his lips.

Two weeks ago, this stupidity had started. She hadn't expected her father to be so absolutely inane, as to suggest an arranged marriage because he hadn't done so with James, her older brother. Her father had formally asked her to have lunch with him; she adored her family purely and had been charmed at her patriarch's simple request. How quaint. How could she refuse her kind, doting father her simple company. He was so busy these days what with the Depression and all.

They'd had lunch on the veranda, the sun was shining and it was pleasantly warm. They had a lovely time, talking together about this and that…and then it happened.

"Ciel, you've grown to be quite a beautiful woman."

She blinked at her father in moderate surprise at the random statement, and laughed lightly. "I'm fifteen, which barely counts as a woman. Grandmother says I'm a 'young lady'. I'm still growing."

"No, I believe you've bloomed into a lovely flower. One that is ready to be picked." Vincent replied, smiling. There was something wrong though. Something was wrong.

She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. _DANGER DANGER_

"Whatever could you be going on about, dear father? I'm barely even a bud yet, never mind a full bloom." She countered gently, keeping the strange anxiety from bubbling over.

"No, you're at your peak. And I'm not the only one to have noticed, the Jones family has as well."

The Jones family. A new-money family made extremely rich from their electrical good company that had boomed even now during the Depression. The north of Britain had been hit hardest because of the lack of modernization, where as in the south families became affluent because technology rocketed off and well-to-do people could buy more as prices fell. The Jones had started off with a fairly modest electrical good company, created by Christopher Jones. The company had prospered poetically, and Christopher Jones had (somehow) become 'friends' with Ciel's father, Vincent Phantomhive II. Christopher Jones wanted to gain the aristocratic, royal blooded legacy and recognition the Phantomhive family had, and wanted to marry into the famiy to achieve his dream.

Her father was apparently only too happy to comply. The Phantomhive name was not nearly as grand (nor wealthy) as it was when Ciel's grandfather (and namesake) , Ciel Briar Phantomhive I had been the Earl of Phantomhive and head of the Funtom Company back in the eighteen hundreds. Vincent had decided linking Phantomhive and Jones together would be good for the family, and for the family vault.

Her father Vincent cared nothing for the name of Phantomhive, Ciel learned. Not a fraction as much as her grandfather supposedly had, if what grandmother Elizabeth had told her was true. No, Vincent cared about his wallet. To be willing to intermarry his child with a no-name New money family and simultaneously disgrace the noble Phantomhive name _and_ the daughter who had once trusted in his good judgment.

"I refuse." Ciel replied flatly.

Her father blinked, surprised. "You don't even know what I'm going to say."

Any sweet daughterly charm immediately vanished when her pride was put into question and replied coldly, "Yes, I do. You want to marry me off to Christopher Jones' son, Henry Jones. And I'm telling you this: I refuse."

Vincent frowned at her. She stared back at him obstinately. And thus, the Battle of Wills began.

He leaned forward and folded his hands together, resting his chin on them while his elbows supported his weight on the table and stared unwaveringly at his only daughter. She leaned back and crossed both her arms and legs, looking down her nose at him.

"You'd forsake your family?" Her father finally asked, frostily.

"I'm not forsaking it, you are. By attempting to coerce me into a half-baked money making scheme that will mortify me and smear the Phantomhive name." Ciel replied easily.

"It's not a scheme; it's a superlative political move using matrimony as a lucrative means to make fine profit." Vincent insisted calmly.

Ciel mock laughed, "Don't candy it up father, it's a slave trade. Me for money. You'd steal away your own child's sacred freedom to choose whom to marry for some jingle in your pocket? How savage."

"You admire your grandmother Elizabeth, right? She was in an arranged engagement when she was eleven." He was grasping at straws, and they both knew it.

"Grandmother Elizabeth didn't marry Grandfather Ciel until she was seventeen. I'm fifteen, which is by the way, not the age of consent. Also, that was back in the 1890s. It's 1938, father. And furthermore, Grandmother and Grandfather were relatives and knew each other since they were toddlers, you're asking me to marry a total stranger. More specifically, a stranger who has commoner's blood." She sneered, "Their situation and mine don't even _compare_."

Vicent straightened from his position. "You're going to marry that boy within a month."

"No, I am not."

Having enough, her father slapped his hands down on the table. "You are marrying Henry Jones. That is my last word."

"Those are five words, dearest father." She said flippantly as she stood up. "And here are my two: I refuse." She turned away from the table, and thus turning her back on her father for his utter betrayal of her trust.

"_I have no use for those pieces whom act on their own will and betray me or my trust…"_

The thought came randomly, but strangely sat easily in her heart. She would not forgive her father for this. She would not forgive his attempt to humiliate her.

She now sat in her room, lightly smoothing over the silk violet pillow she'd hit, as if in apology for taking her anger out on it. Two weeks had passed and four failed escape attempts. Vincent must have known his daughter wasn't playing around, because he'd tripled the security around the mansion.

Not to keep the ghoulies out, but to keep her in.

Ciel sighed, before a determined look crossed her face. This mansion was huge. There had to be a way out that would let her leave undetected from her father's guard dogs.

She mentally smacked herself, the answer was obvious: The library.

There had to be some blue prints of the mansion stashed away somewhere. And if there were, they'd most likely be in the library. If she studied them, perhaps the prints would reveal a secret servant's entrance she could escape out of.

She shot off the bed like a rocket, a new passion burning in her soul. Escape. Escape. Escape. Ciel wrenched her door open, only to come face to face with one of the last people she wanted to see on the other side, his hand poised to knock. Henry's hazel eyes widened in surprise before he remembered himself and realizing how close they were, self consciously backed away a foot.

Ciel sighed, irritated by the interruption of her new plan. "Hello, Mr. Jones. To what do I owe the honor of your presence?" What she said sounded polite enough, but the tone she used was sarcastic and anything but gracious.

Henry ran a hand through his orange brown hair, nervously. "Uhm, your father said that there was a masquerade dance at the Beaufort's mansion tomorrow evening at seven."

She raised a dark eyebrow. "I didn't receive an invite, nor did I RSVP one."

Henry cleared his throat, squirming under his beautiful but cold fiancée's gaze. "The Earl said he received and RSVP'd for you."

"I suppose he's going to make me go there, come Hell or highwater himself?"

"Yes, I suppose he is." Henry replied, wilted.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Very well. I'll have my driver take me, and arrive at seven sharp."

"Miss Ciel?"

Lady in question frowned. "What, ?"

"I think your father wanted us to arrive together, to get people used to seeing us together, what with us being married soon and all."

It was light, but she detected a cockney accent now that she was actually paying attention to what he was saying. _Ugh_. "It won't be necessary for us to arrive together so people 'get used to seeing us', because there isn't going to be a wedding ." Ciel replied callously.

Henry sighed. "Would you please give it up? It's exhausting. We're going to be married. I'm not thrilled about it either, but can't you stop with this…this…attitude?"

Previously, she'd never personally held any grudge against Henry. She was just unkind to him because he was the thorn in her side along with her father, but a ray of hope glimmered. Henry really didn't want to marry her.

"If you don't want to marry me, then do something about it!" She encouraged, " Maybe if we joined voices together in rejection against this arrangement our fathers would back down and leave us alone! Then you wouldn't have to marry me! Father won't listen to me because I'm a girl and he thinks I don't know what's best. If you helped me, we could get out of this archaic farce."

"That's not going to happen." Henry replied, dully. "My father would sell his soul to get linked with your family. He'd murder me if I broke it off."

She felt immediate disgust flood her at his submissiveness, "Looks like I'd win either way."

His eyes widened in shock at her words, and didn't get much better as she continued.

"I don't plan on marrying you. I'm going to do everything in my power to not marry you." Ciel went on to say venomously, "If miraculously, I somehow do get married to you -which is highly unlikely- know that I will still escape as soon as I am able."

Henry sighed, "Your father would never let you divorce me, Miss Ciel."

She glared. "If I were to marry you and was not able to make and escape or divorce you, know this: I would make your life a living hell, for as long as I live." Ciel vowed. "I will not lie in the marital bed with you, I will not give you children, and every day you will wish you'd never even heard the name 'Phantomhive'. Are you prepared to reap the consequences of your actions? Or lack there of?"

Henry backed away from her, looking at her as though the Devil had sprung out of her head. "Are…are you mad?"

Ciel suddenly softened and smiled at Henry serenely, a look he'd never seen on her before.

She purred sweetly, "Mad? I'm not mad, I'm _furious._"

* * *

Vincent had severely underestimated that girl's pride.

His mother was watching him wearily, sitting comfortably across from him on the couch in one of the parlors.

"I know what you're doing, my son. And it's a mistake." Elizabeth Phantomhive looked at her grown up child, frowning. She lightly stirred the tea in her delicate teacup.

Vincent looked at her tiredly. Was every woman in this mansion conspiring against him? "It's not a mistake. It's good for the family."

She shook her head, the light creases in her face deepening from the expression. "That girl, is far too much like my late husband; your father. He didn't like our arranged marriage, but he was fond of me and indulged my girlish whims and married me because of it. I know, that had he not cared for me so, Ciel would have had nothing to do with me. He'd never been interested in marriage. Even when he got older. He was the only one I wanted, and he knew this."

Vincent leaned back in his chair. "Mother, arranged marriages are common practices. They have been for _centuries _now. I don't understand why she's so vehement about abolishing the engagement."

Lady Elizabeth ran a finger through one slightly silver and gold curl. She smiled, her granddaughter had asked her to wear her hair down, despite that she was in her fifties and most women had theirs cut or tucked in a bun.

Her heart warmed in remembrance of her late husband's soft words. Years and years ago, she had been sitting next to him, doing needlepoint when she felt a gentle touch and noticed he was lightly fingering a silky blond curl. He had been actually smiling then, an expression so sweet and rare she felt the breath leave her.

"_You have lovely gold hair, Lizzy. Promise me you'll wear it down."_

Elizabeth brought herself back to reality, and stared at her son. "Don't do this to her, Vincent. Don't do this to Ciel. She's been a good girl, I can't remember her ever back sassing you up until now. If you go through with the arranged marriage, she'll never forgive you. She'll always hold a grudge, it'll destroy her."

Vincent gazed at his mother, identical pairs of green eyes meeting. "Because she's like father?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes. She remembered her beloved Ciel's bitterness, his anger, his hatred, his hurt, his sorrow. All those negative emotions festered inside of him, and those accompanied by deadly illness had destroyed him. "She's passionate, like him. I remember when he was younger, how happy he was. Joyful, blissfully happy. But after what happened to his parents, it was like someone had flipped a coin. He changed forever. I tried to make him feel better, and he tried to be patient with me." Elizabeth laughed lightly, "We met each other half way, most of the time."

"I remember…that wedding photo." Vincent mentioned, taking a sip of tea. "Of you and father."

She nodded, signaling him to go on. "It's eerie how much father and my daughter look alike. The photograph is in black and white, but were his eyes really that incredible royal blue like hers?"

His mother nodded. "Even their hair is the same exact shade. She looks just like he did when he was younger. Those thick black lashes, a slim body –though hers has a feminine curve of course-, the pale skin, the childlike face. And those _eyes._ Ciel had an eyepatch, but the remaining eye was beautiful. Our Ciel has his exact eyes."

"I was surprised…when Alissa said out of the blue she wanted to name our daughter after father."

There was a drawn out silence at the mention of Vincent's late wife.

"Such a gentle soul." Elizabeth sighed. "She saw that wedding photograph of me and Ciel. When she gave birth to your daughter, she exclaimed suddenly she wanted her to be named after him."Elizabeth smiled, "Sometimes when I look into my grandaughter's eyes, I feel like I'm seventeen again. Just because of how identical they are."

A new voice suddenly joined them, "Father, I do not appreciate you shoving me in public with that commoner. How far will you go to humiliate me?"

The young lady they'd just been talking about was in the room, her delicate hands on her lightly curved hips as she glared lividly at Vincent.

Her father rolled his eyes. "This is the first time you've talked to me in days, and that's how you decide to address me?"

"The masquerade? At the Beaufort's?" Ciel went on, impatient.

Elizabeth smiled. "A masquerade dear? That sounds romantic."

Ciel's expression suddenly shifted from one of irritation to affection once she noticed her grandmother was in the room. She sat down and smiled warmly at Elizabeth "Grandmother, how are you this afternoon? Did you have a good book club with your lady friends?"

"I did, thank you dear. What's this all about a masquerade?"

The young lady struggled to keep her expression from souring in front of Elizabeth. "Father's making me go. It's at the Beufort's mansion."

"Yes, with Henry." Vincent added.

Ciel frowned at her father. "I'm not going with him. I'm meeting him there."

Vincent's brow creased. "I told him to tell you that I wanted him to escort you."

She smiled icily. "Henry's such a gentleman. When I humbly declined his invitation to escort me, he graciously understood."

Vincent sighed, exasperated "Lord, you _threatened_ the poor boy, didn't you?" He stared at her. "You can't just go to a dance unaccompanied, it's beyond improper."

"We wouldn't have that problem if you weren't forcing me to attend."

"Can I come, dear?"

Vincent and Ciel both looked at Elizabeth, surprised at the request. Half a heartbeat later, her granddaughter beamed, "Why of course grandmother! That's a wonderful idea! We don't go places together enough, you know. It'll be very fun!"

Vincent sighed. "Mother, the whole point of this is for Henry and Ciel to be seen together. As a couple. An engaged couple."

Elizabeth look sheepish, but Ciel glared at him "Father! How can you say such a thing?! Grandmother wants to go, and I want her to come with me! You would deny your sweet mother such a simple request?"

Her father cleared his throat, looking properly chastised and exhaled in defeat. "Fine. Fine. Why don't you two buy a new dress for the occasion tomorrow?"

Elizabeth grinned. "That would be lovely, I've been meaning to get a new one myself. Ciel, I'm sure we could find you a gorgeous gown, that one store down town has some very in vogue fashions."

Her granddaughter laughed indulgently, "You'll really help me find a pretty gown?"

Elizabeth smiled, a young look in her eyes. "Definitely. I want to make you look cute."

* * *

"_Who's the idiot?" I hear Sebastian's voice say coldly. I look up as he crouches down in front of me. "It was something important to you, wasn't it? You __pu__t quite a show on in front of lady Elizabeth."_

_I look away, embarrassed he'd understood my true feelings. He seems to be good at that though. He takes my hand in his, an oddly affectionate gesture and I feel something heavy settle onto my thumb. I look down and see the ring Lizzy broke only a few hours ago, on my finger. In perfect condition. "This…this is…"_

_Sebastian keeps smiling at me as he says, "I am Phantomhive's butler. What would I do if I couldn't accomplish something like this?"_

_He keeps holding my hand, and I can't bring myself to make him let go. A strange feeling inside me. "This ring is meant to exist on your finger." Sebastian said gently as he looked up at me "Please take good care of it."_

Ciel gasped, awakened from the dream by a horrible pain. She cried out and put her hand over her right eye that was burning incessantly. She was about to call a maid when all at once the burning stopped. Her eye still tingled, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the horrible sensation it was a few seconds ago. She gingerly touched under her right eye, wondering where the horrendous and random pain had come from.

* * *

A dark figure walked the streets of London alone, a smile on his pale handsome face as his eyes gleamed strangely from the lamp lights. In a rich voice, he sang a short song;

"London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, my dear darling."


	2. Ravishing Screams

Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji.

Author's note: Thanks for the super kind reviews, please continue to read and support me :D

BTW: Imagine them with British accents; it makes the dialogue sound better XD

"Blah blah": talking

_Blah blah_: thinking

**WARNING! The rating has gone up from T to M! There is a lemon in this chapter towards the end, if you don't like it, don't read it!!!**

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* * *

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"Darling, this blue dress matches your eyes perfectly! We should get this one!" Elizabeth held up a lovely dress to Ciel, which did indeed come fairly close in color to her own azure eyes. It was a slightly vintage dress, a bit more traditional than the dresses of today though it was still lovely. She smiled at her grandmother, "If you think it suits me, then we'll get it grandmother."

They were in a women's boutique called Crème de Lace, a popular one known for it's popular fashions and dresses from France. Elizabeth handed the dress to the woman waiting on them; she beamed at them before cheerfully ringing it up and meticulously putting it in a silver and cream box, wrapping a cinnamon colored satin ribbon around it.

Elizabeth sighed, putting a hand to her own face romantically. "Oh, I remember when your grandfather and I would go to dancing parties. He hated them, but would go with me anyway if I asked him to."

Ciel smiled, "You really loved him grandmother?"

Elizabeth blushed girlishly despite her years. "I did, I do still. That's why I never remarried, even though my mother wanted me to." She smiled wistfully "I love my cute husband."

"_I only danced with two people in my life. You…and him_."

Ciel froze. Just then, something deep inside of her had…had _cried out_ and her vision seemed to blur. Her shock must have shown on her face because her grandmother looked at her with concern, "Dear? Are you alright, you look like you saw a ghost, you're so pale!"

The lady who'd been waiting on them looked worried too. "Miss? Are you feeling faint?"

"I…I'm not sure." Ciel put a hand lightly to her temple. Her right eye was burning again. "I feel so dizzy."

The woman came from around the counter and lightly took Ciel's arm, escorting her to sit down on a blush colored couch in the boutique. "Shall I'll get the miss something to drink ma'am?" She asked Elizabeth who looked over her granddaughter anxiously. She'd never seen Ciel get faint like this, and she was troubled. Had she inherited her grandfather's delicate condition? Why was it showing up so late though? Ciel had been weak since he was a child, though it improved greatly as he aged. "Yes, maybe some cold water would be best." The woman nodded and walked to a phone on the wall and called the restaurant next door for some chilled water.

Ciel squinted, trying to clear her vision but it didn't work. It was like she was looking through water, and it made her vision swim and gave her vertigo. She clutched her grandmother's hand, afraid. What was happening to her?

"Oh my. The young lady looks like a wilted flower. Is she alright?"

Ciel suddenly doubled over in pain at the sound of the chocolate smooth voice. Her eye felt like it was on _fi_re. She gasped from the agony of it, clutching her head and feeling even _more_ dizzy.

"Oh God, Ciel?! Dear what's wrong?" Elizabeth fretted over her, scared for her granddaughter's condition.

Strong hands that were definitely not her grandmother's clutched her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Her grandmother asked frantically. Ciel couldn't really see what was going on, her vision had become so blurred that all she could see were muddled shapes and colors.

"Please relax, I have medical knowledge ma'am. I can help."

"O-oh. You do?" Elizabeth asked uncertainly, and Ciel imagined her wringing her hands.

"Yes, she'll be fine. Give me one moment."

A third voice joined them, and Ciel recognized it as the woman who had been waiting on them earlier. "I have the water, is she any better?"

"No, she got worse." Elizabeth said, sounding beside herself. "This man says he can help though."

Ciel groaned. She suddenly realized this little episode she was having was causing a lot of attention. How embarrassing, she could never show her face in this store again.

Her face was tilted upward by a gloved hand, and she saw a pale and dark shape above her. A face and hair? Yes, that seems right. Something freezing cold and wet was placed directly over her burning eye, making her gasp. It was a soft handkerchief, and had probably been dipped in the ice water. The cloth seemed to dull the pain, and suddenly she felt lips by her ear and that rich voice whispered;

"Calm down."

The pain stopped nearly immediately and her vision began to clear. The cloth was removed from her eye and she saw the blurred face above her become distinguishable.

Beautiful yet strange brown eyes greeted her. They weren't quite brown though, almost with a scarlet tint to them. Not unlike the color of dried blood. Those eyes were set in a pale face with handsome angles and full lips. Oddly, the man's hair was longer than was fashionable these days and a lock of straight black hair even fell in between his eyes.

Her pulse raced, startling her. The man was quite handsome, but that didn't excite her. Why on earth was her heart suddenly beating like it was going to jump out of her chest?

He smiled, and that didn't help her frantic heart slow down either. His smile seemed to widen by a fraction, almost a smirk. As though he could hear the blood pulsing so fast under her skin.

"You seem to be alright now miss, has your lightheadedness dispelled?"

Ciel stared up at him. Far longer than was probably appropriate for a lady but she didn't care.

It clicked.

The man was in her dream from last night.

This person looked exactly like him; right down to the way that black forelock fell down the front of his face. Though, in the dream he'd been wearing what looked like a butler's outfit. He was wearing a black gentleman's suit right now, with a crisp white shirt underneath.

Her blue eyes squinted at him and asked, "Sebastian?"

The man's red brown eyes widened a fraction and his eyebrows rose before he quickly reassembled his face into a smile. It looked fake to her. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid you have the wrong person, miss. Though you _are_ close- My name is Bastian."

Ciel felt something stirring in her again, and wanted to deny his answer but decided to let it go. It was just a coincidence. An insane coincidence. Like déjà vu. Ciel instead smiled demurely and acted the part of a delicate sheltered girl.

"My sincerest apologies sir. I must be slightly delusional from my…recent state. I pray I didn't offend you."

He kept smiling. "Not a worry miss."

Ciel felt a touch at her shoulder and noticed her grandmother had tears streaming down her face.

"Dearest, you gave me such a fright! Whatever came over you? I've never seen you in such a state before!"

She broke her attention away from 'not Sebastian' and smiled reassuringly at Elizabeth.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, I'm not sure what happened myself. I didn't sleep so well last night, that might have been it." She looked up at the poor sales woman still holding the glass of water. "And thank you ma'am. I apologize for all the disturbance in your store, I hope I haven't caused any problems for your establishment."

"Oh! I'm just so relieved you're alright. Uhm, let me go get your package." She flitted back to the counter hurriedly, and Ciel didn't blame her. This was probably not what the poor woman had been expecting to happen at work.

Elizabeth was smiling at the man who aided Ciel as though he'd rescued orphans from a building aflame. "Oh, sir! Thank you ever so much! I'm not sure what I would have done should anything have happened to my granddaughter. I must repay you somehow, please."

He smiled, "No thank you. I barely did anything; I'd feel out of line accepting compensation."

Elizabeth pushed, "Oh sir, please. I feel wretched not gratifying you!"

Ciel was about to ask her grandmother to let the good Samaritan go; he might have an important appointment to attend to or—wait. Why on earth was he here in a popular _women's_ boutique? What possible business could a man have to do in a clothing shop for wealthy ladies? He definitely wasn't an employee, only women worked here. And he couldn't have just been passing by the window and noticed her state and decided to help. They were at the back and far right of the store, out of sight from all the window's.

"Sir, you were going to buy something here were you not? Why not allow us to pick up the bill for you?"

He turned from her grand mother and blinked at her. "Excuse me?"

"Weren't you going to purchase something? For your wife or…lady friend? That's why you were originally here, is it not? My grandmother isn't going to let this go, she'll lie waking, thinking about it for days if you don't let us do something for you. To be honest, not rewarding you doesn't sit well with me either, even if you were expecting nothing for your aid."

The gentleman sighed lightly. "Very well, I can't deny two ladies without good conscience."

Her grandmother smiled, "Wonderful! Please, pick out anything at all! Out of curiosity, why were you here good sir?"

He straightened from the crouch he had been in, kindly taking Ciel's hand to help her up. "I was just going to pick out a necklace for a dear friend of mine. I'd heard from a source that this place had some good antique jewelry despite the vogue fashions it boasts. Such trinkets would suit her; she has a taste for old fashioned things. I'm hesitant to let you pay for it, as I'm unsure of the price."

Ciel lightly flipped her hair over her shoulder and allowed the aristocratic arrogance that had been bred into her show through. "Sir, unless it's queen's crown jewels, it really isn't an issue here."

He smiled at her attitude, amused. "Very well, I'll leave it in your hands."

Elizabeth looked at Ciel worried, "Are you sure your fine dear?"

"Yes, I'm alright now."

Her grandmother nodded and delicately gestured to the left of the store, "I saw a dress that caught my eye earlier. I'll be right over there. You'll find this gentleman what he need, won't you?"

"Of course, grandmother."

Satisfied, Elizabeth went more towards the front of the store to look at some dresses along the wall, and Ciel turned back to him.

"I feel rude for not introducing myself. My name is Ciel Phantomhive II. Also, thank you very much for all your help when I was out of sorts."

He took her hand and lightly brushed his lips against the back of her knuckles. "Charmed to meet you. I'm Bastian Lashamp. And don't think of it, it was nothing."

Ciel nodded and pointed to some glass cases, "I believe this is their jewelry, find the bauble for that friend of yours."

Bastian smiled at her and the walked over to the glass cases.

Her eyes passed over the jewelry as he searched for the necklace he wanted. There were some new jewelry styles in the case, but she easily spotted the vintage ornaments among them. Some of them were indeed quite lovely.

Her companion opened the glass door and pulled out a lovely necklace, beautiful in its simplicity. A velvet choker, with a oval shaped blue stone on the front, it was embedded in a frame of silver, and hung a small tear drop of the same stone from it. It was an opaque blue mineral, not a jewel and she guessed it must be a lapis lazuli. A high quality stone judging from the vivid cobalt blue it was.

"This would definitely suit her." He said with a smile on his face. Bastian looked at her, as though appraising before he asked, "You look nearly exactly the size of the young woman I'm buying this for. Would you mind terribly if I sized this on you to make sure it would go well on her? That would be quite the faux pas on my part if I bought her this only for it to not fit well."

Ciel nodded, it made sense. That would indeed be embarrassing for him. "Of course, here." She lightly turned around and delicately moved her long hair from the nape of her neck so he could clasp it from behind easily.

He put the velvet choker around her neck smoothly, settling it around so the stone rested in the center of her throat. Ciel felt him do the clasp and frowned a little to herself when his fingers lingered on the back of her neck. She mentally shook her head; she was just being self conscience.

Bastian's fingers left her skin, and Bastian finally said "All right, let me see it."

Ciel turned back around, feeling strange under his steady gaze. His eyes lingered on her neck for a moment. His hand came up to her throat, and her heart was suddenly beating erratically all over again. "Does it feel too tight? It doesn't have a chain to adjust the size, it's a toggle clasp." After he said this, Bastian slid his smallest finger under the choker against her throat. She couldn't find the will to pull away from the intimate touch.

A shiver danced up her spine. What on earth was _wrong _with her?!

Ciel took a few breaths to see if it felt alright. The stone added some weight, but it wasn't restrictive. "No, it's quite comfortable. If she's indeed my size, it should be perfect on her." His hand was still resting against her neck, as though it was completely natural.

"_You're the only person who can make me burn with your simple touch."_

She froze. What? Where on earth had that thought come from?! It hadn't even _felt_ like she had thought it, if that even made sense!

He smiled again, "Excellent. I'll take it then. This will be perfect for her. She really does have a taste for old fashioned things."

Ciel nodded and turned back around as soon as his hand was off her neck. His fingers brushed against her skin as he undid the clasp and carefully slid it off her.

She quite nearly sighed with relief. "Alright, let's go to the front so I can pay for it." _And then you can stop hanging around me and make me feel all seven shades of wrong._

Ciel paid for the necklace, it was surprisingly inexpensive considering how old it probably was. The cashier woman wrapped it and handed it to Ciel whom promptly handed the small bag to Bastian.

"Well, sir. Thank you again for everything. I hope your lady friend loves the necklace"

Alright, she admitted she was being a bit hasty to get him away from her…but she didn't care. She felt strange around him, and the sooner he was gone, the sooner her sanity would come back.

Bastian smiled. "Yes, thank you for paying for this. You really didn't have to. I hope you take care Miss Phantomhive, I best be on my way now." He tipped his hat at her politely and made his way to the boutique's door.

_"__You promised you'd always be by my side didn't you? Where the fuck do you think you're going?"_

Her eyes widened at the vulgar and impossibly crude words that flitted into her mind. There was no way she had thought that. No way.

What was even worse though, Bastian paused, a hand on the door's knob. He turned back at Ciel, smiling with a very strange look in his eyes. "I'm sorry Miss Phantomhive, did you say something?"

She felt her own face pale, and her blood turned to ice. "I…I said to have a good day." She ignored the cashier looking at her curiously-she hadn't heard Ciel say anything and was confused by the exchange.

He kept looking at her strangely, and said something odd considering the circumstances. "Don't worry." Bastian answered back, smiling. He opened the door and left the store quickly.

Ciel kept looking out the door he'd walked out of. She felt as though he hadn't been really talking to her.

* * *

Elizabeth and Ciel were back at the Phantomhive mansion, and her grandmother had decided to rest for a while to get energized for the party.

Ciel changed into some more comfortable clothing, a cotton skirt and a white dress shirt. She thought about following her grandmother's lead and taking a short nap, but decided to visit James instead first. Ciel walked down the extensive hallway from her room, passing the paintings that held the faces of persons long dead. She did look up at one frame though. The same one she always did.

Unlike the others, it wasn't a painting but a photograph.

It showed her grandfather, Ciel sitting at his desk. He looked only sixteen or fifteen in the photo. The light coming from the window behind him was bright, but the flash from the camera had prevented his figure from being shadowed, instead it gave the strange impression he was glowing. The photograph was sepia, with no color other than tones of brown; but Ciel knew that her grandfather's one visible eye would be blue as hers.

He was resting the right side of his face on his hand, leaning his elbow on the desk. His other hand was holding a pen to a paper, like he had been working when the photographer just decided to take a picture. A pretty cup (probably filled with tea) and saucer was next to him, along with a slice of half finished cake on a delicate looking plate. Ciel stared at whoever was taking the picture with an expression of slight annoyance…and something else. It looked almost like reluctant affection, if there was such a thing.

Even with that arrogance, his irritation, and other strange emotions, he was beautiful. It was a shame he was missing an eye, and Ciel imagined him without the tragic flaw. She sighed. He looked like an interesting person. She wished he hadn't died, Ciel would have liked to have known him. She wasn't a fool, she knew he hadn't been a saintly person. She'd heard rumors about him, from people who whispered the Phantomhive name when they thought no one could hear. A tragic man, with a tragic childhood. A man who had strong connections with sinful or strange people. Still. She felt so out of place here, he was probably the person she could have related to best. Though, at least she got along well with her brother and grandmother.

That made up for it all.

* * *

James was in one of the drawing rooms, he'd set this one up as an actual art studio though. Blank canvases were stacked together on the left wall; book cases filled with different types of paint and all manner of supplies were on the wall next to the door. Instead of carpeting, the floor was white marble with a sporadic black design on it.

Ciel smiled at the sight of her brother painting the canvas in front of him in concentration. He was biting his lip like he always did whenever he was thinking really hard. "James, how are you brother?"

He looked up, and grinned at her easily, "Hello there Sky-Bird. I'm good, I take it your dress shopping was successful?"

She softened at his pet name for her. He only called her that when they were alone. "Yes, it was." She approached him, "What are you painting now?"

He leaned back a little so she could see easier, "I wanted to paint birds."

She blinked. "Birds?" She looked back at the canvas, it had been completely painted a shade of grey blue.

James nodded, his green eyes dancing in excitement as he pushed his black hair from his face. "Yes, I want to paint a picture of black birds in flight. This color I just painted is the base for the sky. I feel this one is going to be great."

He was quite popular, not just as a person in society but as a painter as well. Many people liked James, and bought any paintings he put for sale. He tried to do commissions once, but the offers flooded in so quickly he had to stop.

She smiled. "It sounds like a lovely piece. Will you put it up for sale?"

The brush in James' hand faltered a little. "Actually, no."

Ciel looked at her older brother curiously, "You're painting this one for fun? Will you hang in this studio?"

He looked up at her nervously, "I was going to give it to you as a wedding present. It is only a month away after all."

There was a silence that stretched between them, and the air seemed to get colder. "I don't want to marry him. I'm not going to."

James sighed and put the brush down before carefully wiping the oil paint off his hands. His forest green eyes were serious as he looked at her evenly. "You really really don't want to get married, do you Sky?"

"No. I absolutely don't. I don't want to get married so badly, I wish Henry didn't even exist."

James sighed, "Father would just find someone else for you then."

Ciel frowned, crossing her arms. "Yes. It's really father who's the problem. Not that fiancée that's been forced upon me."

James lightly put a hand on his sister's shoulder before gently embracing her. "It's going to be alright. Really." They both knew his words sounded forced, and weak.

She let him hold her for a few moments, regressing back to the days when she was a child, when she was not a woman and things were so much simpler. "I'm going to go nap in my room for a while until I have to get ready." She pulled away and started walking to the door.

"Pleasant dreams, Sky-Bird." James called softly.

She smiled and closed the door behind her. Ciel walked back down the hallway, frowning. At least in her dreams she could escape this Hell.

* * *

_"I'm going to marry her, Sebastian." I look down at the paper I am writing and I can feel the frown on my face as I say this._

_"Young Lady Elizabeth?" Sebastian asks, and I look up at him. "Of course, whom else? Unless my dearest aunt has another fiancée to shove at me that I didn't know about."_

_Sebastian chuckles lightly, "If she tried, I imagine Miss Elizabeth would throw quite a tantrum. She'd toss her competition right off of England."_

_My lips quirk into a smirk at the mental image of Elizabeth hurling some poor stupid girl into the ocean. It comes to mind so easily, it must fit her well._

_I stand up, and get out of my chair to look out the bay window behind my desk. I see Finnian has cut one of the bushes into a rabbit wearing a top hat. Strangely fitting for this mansion._

_"My lord, does young Lady Elizabeth know of this yet?" Sebastian asks, smiling all the while._

_"Oh, she knew I would have to marry her eventually. She probably just didn't know when." I sigh. "I'm not looking forward to the actual proposal."_

_Sebastian cocks his head, curious. "And why is that, pray tell young Master?"_

_I give him a long suffering look, "She's going to hug me so hard my ribs will crush."_

_He smirks, "I'm sure you'll look charming in a body cast my Lord."_

_I trace the window sill with one of my fingers; it comes away spotless of course. Sebastian's cleaning skills are first rate. "I'm not looking forward to marriage at all."_

_His silence is his answer to my statement so I go on. "I'm only doing this because it was my parents' wish that I marry her. Besides, Elizabeth has plenty of men willing to court her but she won't even give them the time of day. She wouldn't marry anyone else, even if I kept her in this engagement purgatory with me."_

_Sebastian hums. "Personally, I'm fond of Lady Elizabeth. She always has the best intentions at heart for you, my Lord. She may go the wrong way about it at times, but she does love you unconditionally. Her loyalty to you has always been solid and eternal."_

_I turn to look back at him, the sunset is reflected in his eyes and they're glowing like fire._

_"I don't love her. I don't even consider her my equal."_

_He inclines his head at me. "Ah, but you don't detest her either. It must be confusing for you."_

_I nod, and run a hand through my hair in exasperation. "Just because I don't love her, and don't consider her as my equal…doesn't mean I don't care for her. I do. I like it when she's happy, when she's safe. That's why I go to all those blasted dancing parties with her! Still…it's complicated what I feel for her. I don't understand it myself."_

_Sebastian approaches me, smiling. "She really loves you. She'd be a good, if somewhat unorthodox wife for you. Miss Elizabeth already understands you so well. You wouldn't have to worry about walking on eggshells around her. Excellent, considering your sour personality scares women away. She's mellowed out a bit since she was thirteen."_

_I frown. "Barely."_

_Sebastian chuckles, "Yes, but it's a start."_

_He stands across from me, only two feet away. "Sebastian."_

_The demon looks at me to show me he's listening._

_"I'm giving up something for her, namely my privacy along with a plethora of other things. I shudder to think of what she's going to do to my mansion."_

_Sebastian smirks, "Oh, she just wants to make it look pretty."_

_I don't share his amusement. "It's only fair that I take away something from her."_

_My manservant is serious again, easily sensing the shift in this conversation._

_"Namely, my fidelity." I finally say._

_He stares at me, eyes widening slightly as he understand immediately. "Young master…I had assumed that after you married her, you…"_

_"No, Sebastian." I walk over to him until our chests are almost touching, glad that the top of my head reaches his nose and I'm not nearly as short as I once was. "Nothing is going to change between you and me. There are going to be changes when Elizabeth and I are married. This," I gesture between us "is not one of them. I won't change us. I don't want to."_

_He stares down at me for a few moments, before he brings a hand up to lightly stroke my face. I gaze back up into his eyes, steadfast in my decision. Sebastian's eyes linger on mine for a moment longer before he leans down and kisses me._

_I bring my hands up to wrap them around his shoulders, and tangle my fingers in his hair. Sebastian's strong arms-so very capable at crushing things without trying-wrap around me carefully, and pulls me closer to him._

_The kiss changes, he deepens it with a tilt of his head and my neck arches back to accommodate him, allowing him to delve his tongue farther into my mouth and he holds me tighter. I enjoy the sensation, twining his tongue with mine and letting him coax small mewls and moans from me as my arms desperately cling to him._

_No. Elizabeth will never know of this. Of how easily I surrender to this demon, and how I so willingly participate in our sexual exploits._

_There's a soft low sound at the back of Sebastian's throat, something that sounds almost feral and I know it's the signal that he's excited._

_"Only you can make me feel this way, Sebastian."_

_His arms tighten more, almost possessively and he suddenly picks me up and sets me on the desk, opening my legs so that they are on either side of his waist. Sebastian pushes me backwards, so I'm lying on the cherry wood desk. I definitely don't mind. We've christened this desk with our ritual of sodomy more times than even __I can count._

_He kisses up my throat, occasionally using his teeth and I arch up to him wantonly in the way I know he loves. Sebastian runs his hands down my clothed legs, and I wrap one around his waist playfully to pull him closer so our hips are aligned._

_"She can't make me lose myself like you can." I murmur before my lips press against his neck. His eyes are glowing; his fingers pull at the button of my blue silk vest and then my linen shirt. Sebastian slides the cloth from my body, sucking on the sensitive skin of my chest, making me moan and writhe against him, and he growls again. I push his jacket off before I work on the buttons of his shirt and we kiss more, he bits on my lower lip hard, drawing blood. I don't care. Pain can make pleasure all the more amazing after all._

_I know the blood excites him even more, because it's my life, brimming over the surface of my skin and free for him to drink. He once told me he could taste traces of my soul in my fluids, especially my blood. Blood, the liquid that circulates through my entire body, even my heart._

_Sebastian's tongue drags along my lower lip and I get an idea while he's busy ridding me of my black slacks. My hand strays from him to run over the desk, and I grin triumphantly when I find what I'm looking for. A flash of silver, and I glide the razor sharp letter opener along my neck and down my chest. It makes a shallow cut, but bleeds nicely._

_Sebastian freezes at the fresh scent of blood, and looks up at me. His eyes are brimming with passionate hellfire._

_"Oh my," I purr as I sit up and unbutton the front of his pants. He stares at the blood running from my neck and chest, entranced. "It would appear I cut myself quite carelessly Sebastian." I free his length from his pants and grind us together. "You'll take care of me, won't you?"_

_He's trembling with need, and just as well because so am I. He rips the eye patch off of my head and slams me back against the desk with __delicious_ _force_.

_My hands caress over his now bare back as his tongue slides up along the cut I made on myself. I arch up against him again, and half moan into his ear, "Sebastian, only you can make me scream. Make me scream your __**name**."_

_He loses it, and slams into me with such a jarring force my teeth clatter together. My mouth opens in a wordless scream, inarticulate and only conveying my emotions, intoxicating pain, and mindless passion. He didn't prepare me this time, but I literally asked for it, so I'm not complaining. Sebastian holds my wrists down above me as he fiercely thrusts into me. I wrap my legs around his waist and bow my back backwards to take the full brunt of his force. His teeth bite at my exposed throat and with one arm supports my back into a continual curve while the other hand keeps a hold of my wrists._

_Sebastian moans, occasionally speaking words in a language I don't understand as he mindlessly fucks me hard into the unforgiving wood surface and I whimper, emitting gasps with sobs in between screaming moans. He presses hard into my pleasure spot, driving me insane as he mercilessly stimulates my core to the point I'm just screaming continuously from the toxic sensations riding through me._

_Sebastian senses I'm close and thrusts inhumanly harder, tears from the overwhelming pleasure fall from my eyes and I feel his tongue drink them up along with the blood._

_A wave, of something indescribable and white hot floods my spasming body and I desperately scream his name loudly from my raw throat as I reach my peak. His teeth bite hard on my neck, as the sensations roll over me, a heady cocktail of pleasure pain that makes the wave come back again in full force and I sob shamelessly as I writhe against him in my helpless passion and whimper. I feel him come hard inside of me with a drawn out moan, holding me down as he continues to thrust until he slows down, panting against my neck._

_Sebastian wraps his arms around me, kissing my chest and I tiredly thread my fingers through his damp hair. We both stay in our positions, breathing hard as we glide our hands over one another occasionally and languidly kissing._

_"I don't know how on earth we're going to be able to keep this from her, considering how loud we are I doubt it'll be a secret for long.__" He finally murmurs breathlessly. Yes, the staff had all found out a long time ago about our sexual escapades. They tactfully never brought it up though.  
_

_"Sebastian, how long have you lived here for?" I pant, " Have you not seen how huge this mansion is? We may not be able to do it in my office as frequently but we'll definitely find someplace out of earshot from anywhere she could possibly be."_

_He nods, his cheek rubbing against my chest. "Of course, I nearly forgot." He sounds slightly embarrassed that he had.  
_

_I chuckle lightly. "I'm not exactly in my correct state of mind right now either, it's alright."_

_He leans up on his elbows, looking down at me slyly. "We could always have fun, and make a game out of trying to be quiet."_

_I scowl. "Yes, that would last all of fifteen seconds. You enjoy hearing me too much. We tried that once, and failed spectacularly, I might add."_

_Sebastian runs a finger into the cut on my chest, bringing up the blood to paint his lips seductively and admits with a devil's smile; "You do have the most ravishing screams."  
_

* * *

Ciel's blue eyes snapped open. She stared up at the ceiling above her, wide and unblinking. There was an uncomfortable warm wetness in between her legs along with a throbbing sensation.

Dear. Lord. What in the name of the Holy Virgin Mary was that?!

* * *

She was a lovely specimen of the female form. Soft curves with a slim body. Milky pale skin, that he could tell was soft by just looking. Charcoal grey hair with a blue sheen, it shined and looked silky to the touch. The hair so much like his master's. Her soul, lingering under the surface of her body smelled refreshing, sweet, and it enticed him.

But she was not his master.

She was too innocent. She was too trusting. She knew nothing of suffering, it had not molded her into a beautiful creature like it had with his favorite master. She may not be kind, but she wasn't deliciously rotted at the core like his young lord had been.

Compared the soul he had feasted on and devoured that night years ago, she was a simple sweet sugar confection.

She would not do. And besides, he believed he could draw his young master forth now. He'd drag his lord out of that girl, and sit him back atop the throne he belonged on.

* * *

Tell me what you guys think in the review, more good stuff to come.

Yes. Ciel and Sebastian are whores. XD

Question(s) you guys have:

**Q. When the hell is it?**

**A.** It's 1938 in Great Britain. This is the year before WWII started and during the Great Depression. In Great Britain during the depression, the North was hit the worst because it was not as technologically advanced. The south (like where London is) was not hit as hard because of all the developments in electricity they had made, and business actually did well for any company that had to do with technology. History lesson~

**A side note:**

Seeing as how the Phantomhive Funtom company is mostly based around toys, candy, and food…it's doing alright, but not nearly as good as it used to when it was directed by Ciel. (Our pint sized, eye patch wearing earl that we all love and adore.) His son Vincent II is not a very good business man, unfortunately. Had Ciel been alive to raise Vincent, things would be completely different under his influence. Such is not the case, sadly, and so the company suffers.

Feel free to ask me more questions. :D


	3. Startling Words

Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji.

A/N: Imagine them with British accents, makes the dialogue better. 8D

And thank you for the kind reviews, please continue to read my fic. :D

"Blah blah": talking

_Blah blah_: thinking

Warnings: General naughtiness. British people. Large shrubs. Gasping Ladies. Sexy Sebastian

* * *

Ciel was frowning as the maid carefully buttoned up the back of her new dress.

That dream wouldn't leave her head. Thoughts of the man, 'Sebastian' had plagued her ever since she woke up from that nap. There was something that wasn't adding up, something she was missing. She couldn't shake the feeling about the gentleman who aided her earlier that day either.

Bastian Lashamp.

He had to be lying. He looked exactly like the man in her dream, Sebastian. He'd even reacted when she'd called him by that name, however minuscule a reaction it was.

She frowned at the long mirror in front of her, before she laughed so randomly the maid behind her started. "Miss? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine Greta." Ciel replied, still smiling. She was so stupid. She knew why Bastian Lashamp looked so alike Sebastian now. The answer was literally right in front of her as she looked at her image in the mirror.

Did she not look so very much like her own grandfather? Bastian, Sebastian. The names and faces were too identical to not have a connection. This Bastian person was obviously related to the man in her dreams, probably a grandchild given his young appearance.

She frowned again. That still didn't explain much though. The aching in her right eye that came and went, the way her vision swam and she nearly fainted in the shop today all the while her eye was in immense pain. Those dreams.

Why had they started so suddenly? They weren't like those strange dreams she was accustomed to, the ones that were nonsensical and random. The first one was a bit odd, but it was the dream she recently woke from that had revealed something disturbing to her.

In it, she had said she was marrying Elizabeth. That made absolutely no sense. The strangeness of the dream made her think; perhaps she wasn't supposed to be herself in that dream? She knew in dreams people usually had no control of their actions or words, but this was different. It felt so _real_.

Rather, it was like she was sitting behind someone's eyes, seeing their life through their point of view as if it were a movie film.

There were pieces missing. Things that didn't add together no matter how hard she wracked her head. Like how Sebastian called her 'my lord' and 'young master' in the dream. Why was she a man in those dreams?

Unless. Unless she wasn't supposed to be herself. Maybe she was someone else? Someone who married Elizabeth. She bit her lip, not liking where her thoughts were taking her.

Greta stepped back, smiling. "My, you've truly grown into such a beauty my lady."

Ciel nodded distractedly. "Thank you, that's kind of you to say." She looked at the clock, it was six forty. "Could you please go see if my grandmother is ready Greta? Tell her I'll be waiting downstairs. Is my brother still in his studio?"

The maid shook her head. "I'm afraid not, dear. He stepped out about a half hour ago. He seemed upset, did you two fight?"

Ciel frowned and felt guilt gnaw at her mind about the painting. She hadn't said anything truly disparaging about the art in progress. She'd just basically said she didn't want it if it had anything to with her 'wedding'. Ciel bit the inside of her cheek; she'd apologize to him later.

* * *

Henry got out of the car, not looking forward to this evening at all. He turned to his driver who had held the door out for him, "Go ahead and go home Andrew. Lord only knows how long this party will last."

The middle aged man raised an eyebrow after he closed the car door. "Forgive me sir, but you seem a bit down."

"I'm not looking forward to this." Henry admitted dryly as he looked up at the magnificent mansion in front of him. "I've no illusions about my fiancée being any warmer than the snowflake she's been since we met."

Andrew lightly clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Well, good luck then sir. I hear poetry works wonders on young women." He moved around the car to sit back in the driver's seat.

Henry smiled wryly. "Somehow I don't think Ciel is a woman who can be swayed with nonsensical pretty words."

"Chin up, master. She'll come around." Andrew started the car, pulling away from Henry and driving back down the extensive driveway from the mansion.

The young man sighed, and started walking up to the ridiculously large mansion. What was so great about big houses? They were empty, and hard to keep up.

It was sunset already, it was getting darker earlier as the season drew closer to winter. Henry had never been very fond of the cold, and the dark even less. He walked along the trail to the mansion, a trail that had enormous, intricately cut hedges on either side of the stone walkway.

There was an ominous feeling coming from behind him, and he turned around quickly but saw nothing. Henry sighed. This stress was seriously getting to him. Why couldn't he have gotten one of those meek girls as a fiancée? One of those quiet women who may not like that they were in an arranged marriage but didn't complain openly about it either. He really would have preferred some high class lady who would eventually grow to like him or at least behave civilly with him. The chances of that happening with Ciel seemed very slim, if nonexistent.

Henry stumbled on an upraised walk stone, and cursed. Why, for all the greatness of this mansion, hadn't they installed lights along the path? Or at least had someone accompany him to the door so he wouldn't feel like a right proper fool, tripping his way through the dark. The sun had set quickly, and while it wasn't pitch black outside just yet, it was getting more difficult to see as the minutes went by and he walked up the ridiculously long path.

"Henry."

He jolted at the sudden call of his name and turned around, looking back down the path from where he had come, putting his back to the large looming shrubs that lined the walk way. The young man squinted into the dark, trying to will his eyes to become used to the lightless air in front of him.

"Hello?" He called, annoyed with himself when he heard anxiety in his voice. Henry waited for a couple seconds, and was just about to reprimand himself for stupidly hearing things when a hand grabbed his shoulder roughly and yanked him backwards though the bushes that lined the path. Henry tried to cry out, but a leather gloved hand slapped itself over his mouth to silence him. "Don't you dare move." A low voice said next to his ear.

He quaked, Henry had never before had his life threatened and wasn't sure what to do. He tried to talk through the hand muting him, pleading with his assailant to not kill him, to spare his life and that he'd gladly give him money if only he'd let him go! Garbled muffled nonsense came forth due to the hand covering his mouth.

"Quiet. I won't let you have her." The voice growled into Henry's ear.

Henry's heart raced sporadically as he understood immediately who 'her' was. Oh Lord in Heaven, it was some man who had probably been jilted by Ciel at one time or her secret lover and was coming for revenge on him! No wonder she hadn't wanted to marry Henry if she had some Romeo waiting for her.

In a moment of courage he didn't know he had in himself, Henry grabbed the man's hand and dragged it from his mouth, struggling to keep his voice low yet loud enough for the attacker to hear; "I don't want her! I don't care if my father disowns me, you can take that ice queen dammit! Just don't kill me, _please_!"

A tense silence followed. And Henry was still shaking, terrified and unsure of what would come next.

"You will break off the engagement." The man ordered carefully, enunciating every word.

"Yes! Yes, I will! I swear!" Henry said quickly, frantically grabbing at any shreds of hope for his life that he could find. He didn't want to die, especially over that wicked girl!

"Are you sure you can?" The man pressed. "I'm going to give you this one chance. If you do not break it off before the end of the week…I'll do it for you." A blade slid menacingly against his neck and Henry shivered violently and hyperventilated. "I'd rather not stain my hands with you blood. But I will."

"Alright! I'll tell my father when I get home tonight!"

The blade tightened against his neck. "No. Do it now."

"Wh-what?"

"You're going to humiliate her." The man replied. "You're going to insult her in front of everyone. You're going to disgrace her so badly, no one in polite society will approve of your marriage to her and Vincent will have no choice but to call it off. Go inside, and when you see her make sure you do it so _everyone_ can hear, so _everyone_ can see."

Henry bit his lip. "I…can't. I couldn't do that. My reputation, my father's reputation would be ruined as well. Besides, why would you want me to dishonor her like that if you seem to care about her so much?!"

The man laughed lightly. "She cares about her honor, about her pride as a Phantomhive. You insulting her will not even knock her down a peg though. You, however will be damaged irreparably by this. They will feel sorry for her and she will look pristine, an innocent girl who's cruel fiancée humiliated her at an important society dance. And you will be sullied."

He was quiet, mulling the man's words in his head. He was right. Ciel would seem like the sweet, demure lady who was unjustly disrespected by her fiancée. _Her_ reputation wouldn't be hurt, but boosted. It was _he_ who would be damaged. She was a blue blood from a high class family that was respected greatly and had ties to royalty; he was just a lowly new money barbarian. It was obvious whom the people would side with.

"Do it. Or I'll kill you. Your choice." The man said, this time with finality.

Henry was quiet, thinking. He didn't want to die. He didn't want his reputation destroyed, but he really, really didn't want to die.

"I'd make your death slow, by the way." The man said flippantly, pressing the blade just a little bit harder. "You'd feel pain until your last breath."

_Oh, well in that case_. Henry thought sarcastically. "Fine. She's not worth dying over. I'll insult her in front of everyone, and the engagement will be have to be broken off."

"Mmm. Good choice." The man rasped into his ear before shoving him violently forward back through the bushes and onto the stone pathway.

Henry staggered, struggling not to fall and properly righted himself. He reflexively looked at the bushes, anxiously waiting for his assailant to come back and attack him on the pretense of changing his mind.

He sighed when after a few minutes no one leapt at him from the shrubs. What now, what now? He looked back at the well lit mansion and started walking towards it.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Ciel looked around, bored. Her grandmother had spotted a group of her friends and had gone to immediately to chat with them, Ciel had decided to stand on the sidelines quietly and out of sight.

Ciel wasn't particularly fond of these events. Fake faces and smiles. People desperately licking the shoes of their betters for a chance to reach the pinnacle. She was guilty of faking smiles for her family's reputation and her own, of course but that didn't make her like it. One benefit of a masquerade was that people had difficulty recognizing others, and could speak more freely.

Still, it was nice to watch all the ladies and gentlemen dancing around in their finery, a merry moving painting of color, light, and music.

"Well, if it isn't the wilted flower. You're looking in much better color though, if I may say."

She looked sharply to her right, surprised. Bastian was standing next to her, smiling and looking like he had been there the whole time. He had a simple white mask covering his eyes with an intricate design in scarlet across the top. How long had he been standing there without her noticing?

"Mr. Lashamp!" Ciel exclaimed in astonishment, unable to conceal her emotions.

His smile turned into a pleased, satisfied one. "Oh, you do remember me? I'm honored."

She blinked. Forget him? "We only met just this afternoon, and under such strange circumstances." She laughed, "I couldn't possibly forget you even if I tried with all my might."

"_I would not forget the dear creature who helped mold me into the person I am."_

The smile fell off of Ciel's face when the voice entered her head. That was not her thought. Again. What on earth was wrong with her?

If Bastian noticed her sudden change in mood, he didn't comment. Instead, the handsome man smiled and gracefully fell into a sweeping bow and held a hand out to her.

Ciel stared at him for a moment, unsure. "Sir?"

"Will the lady honor me with a dance?" Bastian asked. "I'd like it very much if you accepted."

Her heart beat madly, and a pretty blush colored her face against her will. Ciel was grateful for the velvet mask covering her eyes and the tops of her cheeks. She had half a mind to decline, she didn't know this man. She suspected he had a wife or a significant lady, though he had not said so himself. She bit the inside of her lip as she found her resolve.

It couldn't hurt.

"I'd be glad to dance with you ." She placed her hand in his and smiled lightly at him, which he returned.

He leaned towards her suddenly, "May I?" Bastian inquired politely. She was about to ask what he wanted, but then he carefully slipped the mask off her face before removing his and setting them on a nearby chair.

"All for the better." Ciel replied, slightly sheepish. "I'm not the best dancer; it would behoove me to have my full vision."

He laughed. "You remind me of an old friend of mine. He wasn't the best dancer either."

Bastian settled a hand on her waist and Ciel lightly rested hers on his shoulder while their other hands clasped together. He smoothly led her onto the dance floor, and they moved easily in time with the cheery music the orchestra was playing.

"By any chance is the reason you're here," Ciel asked "because you're visiting a friend? I don't recognize your name at all, you aren't from around here are you?"

Bastian nodded, and lightly let one of her hands go to twirl her before bringing her back and letting his hand rest again on her waist. "Yes. He's been somewhat tied up though, I'm afraid. I haven't got the chance to see him just yet. I ended up getting invited to this party, through a connection from him as an apology."

She frowned a little, "I see. You two go back far?"

Bastian smiled, "Oh yes. We're thick as thieves you could say." His expression turned more sullen "We got separated some time ago though. It was my own fault. And when I finally found him again, the poor man is held down and kept from me with all manner of obstacles."

Ciel felt a pang of sorrow hit her. "Oh, I'm truly sorry." What was strange is that she actually meant it. In her heart, she sincerely felt sorry for Bastian being separated from his dear friend. How queer.

"_I miss you too."_

Bastian's grip on her waist tensed and he suddenly pulled her a little bit closer, sliding over the line that differentiated from polite dancing for the sake of the entertainment to a distance reserved between more intimate persons.

"That's quite alright." Bastian said close to her ear as they glided along the dance floor. "I suspect I will be reunited with him very soon."

Her heart beat skyrocketed, and she heard herself gasp lightly from the way her pulse jumped so suddenly.

Bastian was smiling at her again. In that way that suggested he could hear her heart racing. That knowing glint in his copper brown eyes. She was dizzy. She tried to focus on his face instead of the scenery spinning around her. That didn't help. His face, that smile, those _eyes_ made her breath quicken. Her eye was starting to burn.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Ice Queen herself!"

Her head cleared at once from the sound of the voice and Ciel turned to see Henry standing naught six feet away, and looking at her with a sneer.

Bastian stopped them from dancing further, and Ciel noticed some of the people looking over curiously at them from the outburst. She released the man and walked a few steps over to Henry. Something was different. She squinted at her fiancée, noticing how his eyes were glassy and his face was flushed. "Are you drunk?" Ciel asked quietly, so as to not rouse any more looks.

His answer was a hysterical laugh and Ciel stared back at him mutely, waiting for him to compose himself. "Why, my dear sweet little queenie-pie!" Henry grinned as he walked up to her and grabbed her arm to pull her close. Ciel didn't smell alcohol on him, why was he acting so strange?

"Are you embarrassed by me?" Henry asked in an angry voice, an abrupt shift from the tone he had moments ago. Ciel fruitlessly tugged back on her arm for him to release her. "Not here, Henry." She warned. She could tolerate a break down, she could tolerate him being angry at her for the way she treated him.

But she couldn't tolerate an angry break down in front of _these_ people.

He laughed again before yelling in her face. "Are you?! Are you embarrassed to be engaged to a dog like me?!"

The music had stopped. People weren't even bothering to hide theirs stares. The gentlemen looked completely appalled and the ladies were covering their mouths in horror.

"Does the idea to sink to my level sicken you? Or are you worried more that I suit you far too much, my little whore?"

Gasps and outcries of protest chorused around the room from the observing ladies and men.

Ciel glared at him and growled in fury laced voice. "Get your hand off me you filthy wretch."

Henry smiled at her, with affectionate sweetness that looked almost loving.

And then he promptly backhanded her across the face.

The pain of it, the horrible fire blooming on the side of her face promptly made tears spring from her eyes. She had staggered backward from the forced strength of it, and two strong arms easily caught her from behind.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Bastian asked in a voice dripping with something that seemed to go beyond fury. Ciel couldn't see him, the horrible pain in her face wasn't letting up. What hurt so much worse though was the pain to her pride.

No one. _No one_ had ever slapped or hit her. No one _dared_ to.

Henry laughed again, and Ciel opened her eyes through the pain to glare at him. He smiled at her. "I won't lie, that was immensely satisfying for me."

"Would someone remove this beast from our polite company?!" Bastian yelled, his voice still angry.

Two broad shouldered men came from the crowed and grabbed Henry, and half dragged him out of the ballroom. "Farwell my little Ice Queen!" Henry called to her as he was forcefully pulled away. "I can say with complete certainty I won't miss you!"

The entire exchange had lasted only a couple minutes. She lightly touched her face, noticing it hurt. If her skin bruised, she was going to be _furious_.

Bastian turned her around to face him and carefully tilted her face up to look at him. He frowned sympathetically. "Oh my. That's quite a terrible mark. Like he hit you will all his strength."

She opened her mouth to speak when she felt something warm trickle down her chin followed by a sharp pain in her mouth. Ciel heard some ladies gasp, and Bastian wiped a finger under her lips. Her eyes widened when his finger came away covered with dark red blood.

She'd never seen her own blood before.

He said softly "Ah, he made your teeth cut your cheek, I think."

Ciel stared at the blood and felt the color wash from her skin. The pain in her face. The pain in her mouth. The pain in her eye. The pain of her pride. The way her heart was racing. Her shallow breaths. She felt lost, and looked up at him, unsure of what she was looking for. Bastian stared back at her. Something was under his eyes, something hidden yet not. He was too close, too close.

Her vision swam, and inky darkness swallowed her.

* * *

_Sebastian is staring at me, with surprise written on his face._

"_Are you sure?" He asks, and for once he seems hesitant. "Once you give me the affirmative, there's no going back young master. What is taken will not be given back."_

_I lean back against the heavy desk. "I've been married to Lizzy for three years. I've given her a son like she begged me to, and I've made arrangements for her in the event of my death."_

_It is late at night, and pitch black. The moon is new, so no feeble light even comes from there. I glace at the clock sitting on the shelf on the wall, it reads eleven fifty seven._

"_It will seem strange if you suddenly die, don't you think?" Sebastian lightly added. Why was he stalling so? _

"_I've lied to her. I told her I've been harboring a disease that will end me before my twentieth year. I've made arrangements that would show proof of that." I changed the subject, "You've been in servitude to me for nearly ten years now, Sebastian. You must be starving. How long has it been since you last ate, anyway?"_

_He tensed at the question. "I'm unsure, my Lord." He was hungry. He must be famished, and I could tell he was restraining himself from the way his hands were tightly fisted and shaking._

"_Sebastian."_

_The demon looked at me, showing his attention. He seemed a little distant though, like he was thinking._

"_You have special abilities do you not? You are a demon." I ask, still staring at him._

"_I do." He murmurs absently._

"_Like magic?" I ask._

_Sebastian actually chuckled this time, "Something akin to it yes, but not nearly so whimsical. It's a bit darker than pulling a rabbit out of a hat." _

"_Witchcraft? Dark Arts? Alchemy?" _

"_It has a more suitable name, but your human tongue couldn't pronounce it. But yes, your assumption is correct."_

_I was quiet for a few moments, "Can you make people forget things?"_

"_But of course." He raised an eyebrow, probably wondering where I was going with this. "Causing amnesia on humans is quite simple; we demons use it all the time on the victims we leave alive."_

"_Could you make a person forget an existence of another person rather than an event?"_

_Sebastian frowns. "Yes. I could."_

_The clock struck midnight; the loud chime didn't startle me like it normally would have. I couldn't afford to act cowardly right now._

"_It's the new morning. Do you know what today now is?" I said._

_Sebastian walked over to me, stopping two feet away. "My Lord?"_

_I smirk. "Tsk tsk, Sebastian. It's now December seventh. My birthday, I'm twenty as of now."_

_His expression was unreadable, before he smiled in that fake way. "Happy Birthday."_

_I turned and looked out the window where a snow was falling lightly. "I have my last order for you, Sebastian."_

_His eyes widened. "I beg your pardon Young Master?"_

"_My last order. And then you will devour my soul, or whatever it is you plan to do."_

_I turn back to look him in his eyes. "After you take me, I want you to make everyone forget you were ever here. And implant a memory of me succumbing to a disease. It's my last order, your final act as my butler."_

"_May I ask why?"_

_I look toward the window again. "You don't need to know, it's of no importance."_

_Sebastian continues to stare at me, his eyes slowly brightening to that glowing red color. It looked like there is a fire shifting under his eyes. He walks towards me and pushes me back against the desk. I think he's about to press me about the reasons for my order, but instead he says, "What was lost can not be retrieved. Are you certain you want this now?"_

_I tilt my head back so I can look at him properly. "You shouldn't be questioning me. I've known this was coming for ten years now. Are you saying you'll deny my will, Sebastian?"_

_A complex look passed through his eyes. Like he wants to say something, yet won't. "No, Young master." He takes his gloves off casually. "I would never disobey an order." He presses a hand against my face, and stares down at me._

"_You've served me for quite some time. I've gotten my vengeance on those who wronged me, and I've arranged a peaceful future for Lizzy and her child. He'll be able to love her better than I could. My soul is yours now. So take it."_

_Sebastian simply gazes back at me for several moments before moving away and presses a hand against his heart as he kneels down on the floor. "Yes, my Lord." He stays like that for a few seconds before approaching me again, and leans down. His lips are at my ear._

"_I don't know if you care or not. But, I want you to know that you've been my favorite master out of all the ones I've had._

_I want to tell him to shut up. I want to cry. I want to laugh. I want to scream. I want to tell him something that I've kept hidden deep inside of me for many years now. Instead, I close my eyes and say,_

"_Thank you. I'm glad you told me so, that does mean something to me. You were my favorite as well."_

_The silence strains and we both know why I don't specify what I favored him as._

_It would just make things too complicated. _

* * *

Ciel woke up; she didn't know where she was. She was on an extravegant bed, but she didn't recognize the room. At first she thought she was alone, but then saw a person in her peripheral vision.

Bastian was sitting on the edge of the bed, smiling. He had a very peculiar expression in his eyes.

He looked identical to 'Sebastian' in her dream. Something was wrong. Something horribly, horribly wrong. Why were they alone? Where was she? His eyes unsettled her. She realized with horror that they were glowing, and it seemed as though there was fire burning under them. He continued to smile serenely at her, not speaking.

"Who are you, really?" She heard herself blurt out without thinking better of it first.

He was still smiling as he leaned over towards her. He grabbed her chin with his forefinger and thumb, forcing Ciel to look at him before he purred,

"I'm one _hell_ of a butler."

* * *

Author's note:

MUAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Oh. And there's a poll on my profile for this fanfic, vote on it because I wanna know your guys' opinions, yah?


	4. Continuing Kiss

Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji.

Author's Note: Imagine them with British accents, makes the dialogue better. 8D

And thank you for the kind reviews, please continue to read my fic. :D

"Blah blah": talking

_Blah blah_: thinking

Warnings: General naughtiness. British people. Sexy Sebastian. Girl!Ciel (he hates it). Groping.

**I don't know if I mentioned this...but this story follows the _manga_, not the anime.**

* * *

**Five O'clock. PM  
**

* * *

"Hello, James."

The young man whirled around in surprise, coming face to face with a pale skinned man, a half a head taller than him.

"Who-How did you get in my bedroom?!"

The man smiled gently, though the gesture looked insincere as he gazed back into James' green eyes with a coldness that chilled him to his heart.

"I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Sebastian." He held out his palms in a harmless gesture, still smiling. "I understand…you've been having feelings of despair as of late. Over your darling sister? More specifically, of her forced engagement?"

James blinked several times, unsure of what to do he answered honestly "Yes. I do. What does this have to do with you breaking into my home?" He looked around wildly, his eyes settled on the door behind the stranger. _An escape. Get away._

"Quite a bit." He continued to smile at James, and slowly approached him. The young man instinctively moved away until his back hit the wall.

**_"Your father is a weak man. A money hungry man. He's willing to do anything to get money, even going so far to use your sister. No doubt you'll be next soon."_**

James felt a strange sensation come over him, a fog like heaviness entered his mind and his eye lids drooped down half way. He felt complacency wash over his heart and mind, where fear of this man should have been. He slumped against the wall, and let Sebastian gently touch the side of his face, it never occurred to James to slap the gloved hand away.

He passively allowed the handsome man stroke his face, a strange tender gesture.

_Why am I not afraid?_

**_"Such a lovely young man like yourself should not be used. Rather, you should be the one using others."_**

His velvet voice entered James' consciousness, and filled his mind with delicious sweet venom.

"Yes." James agreed, and was surprised that he truly meant it.

Sebastian whispered in his ear,

**_"You've been educated, you have charisma, and others find you attractive. You have a good sense of justice, yet know when to step over the line of sin for the greater good. Just like your grandfather did." _**

"I do." The younger conceded softly once again, and felt the man wrap an arm around him, pulling their chests together. James rested the side of his face against Sebastian's shoulder, feeling the slight warmth radiating from the clothed skin.

**_"The time of your father has ended. He's a disgrace, and does not deserve to carry the majesty of the Phantomhive name. We need to get rid of him, for your sister's sake. You've been secretly furious at him since he announced her forced engagement; it's become a festering wound that has been slowly decaying you from the inside. You hate him."_**

James waited for the feelings of rejection and indignation to arise in him from Sebastian's admission, but they never came. Only agreement. "What do I do?" He asked weakly. He had realized all of these emotions now, but was too overwhelmed to know what to do with them.

The gloved hand stroked his face again._ **"Follow my plan, and all your worries will end."**_

"You'll help me?" James sounded like a little child, lost in himself.

He didn't see the dark smile bleed over Sebastian's face. "What kind of butler would I be, if I couldn't do something simple as that?"

* * *

**Eight Forty. PM**

* * *

"I'm one _hell_ of a butler."

Ciel screamed, and slapped Bastian -or whoever the hell this person was-across the face.

She leapt off the bed to make a bolt for the door, and screamed again when she suddenly lost all mobility in her legs and fell down to the floor, hard.

"What? What's going on?!" She pushed herself up on her arms, but her legs wouldn't move. She glared behind her, at the man who was calmly sitting on the bed, smiling down at her. "What in God's name did you do to me?!"

He smirked. "_I_ didn't do anything to you. _He_ did. It would appear he's gotten quite strong, impressively so." Bastian rubbed the side of his face she'd slapped and stood up "I lied to you before, my dear. My name is indeed Sebastian…at least that was the name your grandfather gave me. Only _he_ knows my true Name."

Ciel continued to glare up at him as he walked in front of her, blocking the way to the door. "That's impossible. You couldn't have known my grandfather and be as young as you are."

Sebastian laughed, his eyes still glowing with hellfire. "One would think, little Sky-Bird."

He crouched down in front of her, his expression turning serious. "I'm not very happy with you, miss. Your grandfather got angry at me quite often, though he never once hit me in my entire servitude of him."

She spat in his face.

Sebastian sighed as he wiped the spittle from his face. "My, how vulgar. Is that what young women are like these days? Lady Elizabeth was the epitome of a proper society woman; she'd never do such a crude thing."

She gaped at him in the mention of her grandmother and he took that opportunity to pick Ciel up and unceremoniously dumped her back on the bed, ignoring her noises of protest. She tried to crawl away from him with her arms but he grabbed her ankle, holding her in place.

Knowing she was beat, Ciel glowered at him. "Who are you?"

Sebastian smiled. "You don't need to know. I doubt you could comprehend it."

She bit her lip, frustrated. "Where's my grandmother? Did you hurt her?!"

He looked insulted. "Lady Elizabeth? I'd never harm her. She's precious to my Lord, and I'm quite fond of her personally."

Ciel kept glaring at him. "My father is very rich. He'll give you whatever you please, I'm sure."

Sebastian laughed again. "Human currency holds no interest for me." Sebastian pressed a finger over where her heart was. "I'm just here for _him_."

"Who?"

"Your grandfather of course. You've been having those dreams haven't you? And you've been hearing his voice for a while now, as have I." He smiled. "I've been waiting, all this time for him to become strong enough to not need your soul as an anchor anymore. I didn't even think it would really work out. Yet it has."

She slapped his hand away. "What are you talking about?"

"I won't go into specifics, the story is too long." Sebastian replied. "Basically, a scrap of your grandfather's soul has been intertwined with yours for all of your life. Slowly, his soul has been rebuilding and getting stronger to the point he doesn't need to live off of yours any longer. He can remain in a body independently now."

Ciel stared at him, eyes wide. "Are you raving mad? Do you hear what you're saying?! I'm not some reincarnation!"

Sebastian looked back at her, serious. "I didn't say you were a reincarnation. Your soul just happens to be compatible with his, which was why he couldn't use James. It's a miracle, frankly. Souls are so very diverse; it's amazing that a fair match for his was found in such a short time span. You've had two souls in your body this whole time, only recently has he gotten this strong though. What did you think all those odd things were? The voice, the dreams, the way your body reacts around me?"

"I…I don't know." Ciel answered weakly before adding hastily; "It must be stress. From everything. Now you're going to let me go home, and I'll pretend this never happened. You're deranged, and you need help." She said it with authority, struggling to keep the quaver out of her voice.

The demon shrugged. "Your soul was acting as a host for my Lord's until he got strong enough. That's the truth of it. You may think whatever you like, I suppose. It's not for you I care."

Ciel suddenly paled. "That…those dreams." She remembered the horrifying one, where the demon had…had…_fornicated_ with her. On a desk of all places! Yet it wasn't her. She was in a male body at the time.

He seemed to understand what she was talking about instantly, and smiled. "Not dreams. _Memories_. The events you saw in your dreams really happened to your grandfather, you were seeing it through his eyes, weren't you? Your face is red; did you have an interesting one you'd like to tell me about?"

She glowered at him and slapped him again.

Sebastian sighed. "Well. I'm quite done with you and all your abuse." He pushed her down against the bed and she screamed, trying to free from his grasp. He stared into her wide blue eyes, "Young master. I suggest you do your best to stay out of the way for a while. I wouldn't want to accidentally devour you as well."

Ciel felt a streak of terror go through her. Oh Lord, he was going to _eat_ her?! He…he was insane! She felt tears well in her eyes, and frantically thrashed her arms. He easily stopped her efforts by holding her wrists above her head with one hand.

It was then that a glint caught her eye. On his left hand, on the third finger was a large sliver ring with a blue stone, that's not what bothered her though. There was blood, smeared on his fingers, and she could even see some caked under his black lacquered nails.

"Don't kill me, please!" Ciel sobbed, tears falling down her face in streams. "Please, I'm begging you! I'll do anything, just don't kill me! I don't want to die!"

The glowing of his eyes seemed to brighten and she realized with horror that his pupils were slits, like a cat's. He smiled at her gently,

"I'm sorry dear. But I'm already involved in a contract."

Sebastian leaned his head down and pressed his mouth against hers; swallowing her screams along with her soul.

* * *

**Eight Fifteen. PM**

* * *

Vincent had been quietly working over some papers in his office. Nothing of true importance, but he had wanted to get them done with so he wouldn't have to do them tomorrow.

In less than four weeks, his daughter would be married. The wedding coordinator was coming over tomorrow afternoon to help make arrangements with the church. The invitations had been sent three days ago, so that was thankfully out of the way.

He leaned back, and had been thinking about having some tea delivered to him when his office door was swung open.

Vincent sat up, surprised to see his son out of breath. "James, what's wrong? You're breathing like a race horse."

James composed himself, running a hand through his hair. He looked at his father, feeling sick to his stomach.

He ignored his father's question. "Ciel and grandmother are missing! And Henry was found dead, with his throat was ripped out!"

Vincent stared blankly back at his son before laughing. "James, where on earth did you get that morbid humor from? Did your sister put you up to this?"

"I'm not joking! I'm completely serious!" James insisted. "The Beaufort's just called, I've notified the police, and they're looking for sister and grandmother. Father, who would _do_ this?!"

Vincent stood up from his chair so quickly it actually fell over. "This is no longer amusing, stop it right now!"

James looked back at his father, exasperated. "I'm not joking."

They both turned at the sound of a woman clearing her throat. The head maid, Dana was standing there, trying to look unobtrusive. "Sirs, excuse me but the Scotland Yard just arrived."

James blinked at her. "The Scotland Yard? But why?" It was just a homicide and missing person's case, something for the police to handle.

Celia ducked her head. "When I asked, they said they owed the Phantomhive family a favor. They would like to talk with both of you. Along with all us maids."

Vincent's eyes were blank, wide and disbelieving. "It's true. Henry was murdered? And my mother and daughter are missing? How? How could this have happened?"

Dana looked back at him, her lips in a thin line. "I don't know how sir. But it is indeed true."

James sighed, "Roche Beaufort said they found him, in the bushes outside the Beaufort manor twenty minutes ago."

Vincet's eyes widened. "It's possible that the killer might still be on the premises!"

Dana looked back at Vincent sadly. "I'm not sure sir. One would think he would have fled the scene as soon as possible. Her lower lip trembled, "Poor Lady Ciel and Madam Elizabeth. I don't even want to contemplate what could have happened…"

Vincent's thoughts were spinning frantically. Who? Why? _Who_? He pinched the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling much older than his years.

"Let's go downstairs."

* * *

**Nine Thirty. PM**

* * *

After an hour of interrogation of the servants working in the Phantomhive manor, Captain Richard Laurie finally started the interview of Vincent and James.

"So Count Phantomhive, you've been in the mansion this entire evening, and your alibi checks out. The maids and your butler saw you here in your office, working. No one saw you leave at any time. Is this correct?"

Vincent nodded. "Yes, I've been doing work all evening."

The captain scribbled something on the pad of paper he had.

"And you James, were at Count Peres' house, playing cards with him. The maids all verified you left this manor at six ten. I had a call made to the Peres mansion just now, and the head butler said you arrived at the mansion around six thirty, I understand it takes roughly twenty minutes to get there. Henry Jones was escorted from the Beaufort mansion around seven forty. And was found dead roughly at eight-oh-five."

Captain Laurie flipped back a few papers of his note pad. "The Peres' butler told me you didn't leave until seven forty, and the maids here said you arrived back at the Phantomhive mansion at eight o'clock. The Beaufort mansion is sixty minutes from the Peres' manor. And it's much too far from for you to drive to the Beaufort's and kill Henry Jones and then drive all the way back to the Phantomhive mansion in under twenty five minutes. Your alibi checks out as well."

Vincent was pacing and finally snapped "Yes, of course my son and I are innocent, I could have told you that! Where's my mother and daughter? And who killed Henry?!"

The captain sighed. "A precaution sir. I'm hope you understand. Most murder cases happen from someone the victim knew well or was related too." A man in a uniform entered the parlor room and whispered something in the captain's ear. Captain Laurie frowned, and turned to Vincent.

"My men have interviewed several of the guests already. They've found an odd thread. Apparently, Henry Jones went into the party and had a sort of outburst."

Vincent frowned. "I beg your pardon?"

The captain coughed. "Apparently, he entered the ball room of the Beaufort mansion, and upon seeing your daughter…he insulted her, grabbed her, yelled at her, and then finally slapped her before he was escorted out of the mansion by two men. His house was called to pick him up, and the car came. That was when they discovered the body in the bushes. Around eight-oh-five."

James and Vincent stared, the younger man finally said. "Henry? He hit my sister? Are you sure, he'd always seemed harmless as a butterfly to me. I can't picture him calling her names or yelling at her either."

The captain sighed. "Yes. Well according to the accumulating testimonies, he in fact, did."

"What about my mother and daughter?" Vincent asked wearily.

The uniformed man that had walked in respectfully took off his hat and smoothed back his blond hair before speaking, "Witnesses say a man took care of Miss Ciel. She had fainted…from the trauma I'm guessing."

"So, he's the kidnapper right?" Vincent asked.

"We don't know." The captain replied.

James frowned. "What do you mean you don't know?"

The uniformed man spoke again. "There's a strange anomaly in the case."

Vincent was getting impatient, ever second that passed could be a second off his mother and daughter's life. "What in blazes are you going on about?!"

"None of the witnesses can recall what happened after Miss Ciel fainted. They just remember going back to dancing and the party. They don't remember seeing the man do anything with your mother and daughter. They don't remember them leaving with him or whether they didn't. It's as though there's a missing piece in their memories."

James' jaw fell open, and his eyes widened. "They…they can't remember?!"

The captain sighed, "Yes. There's a common gape from when Lady Ciel fainted, to the time they all resumed their festivities. They don't remember what happened in between those instances. Like it was erased, or cut out from their memory."

Vincent sat down heavily in a chair. "What on earth are we dealing with? A man who can tear out pieces from a person's memory?"

The captain nodded. "Yes, further more. He probably did it all at once, and not going from person to person individually."

James ran a hand through his hair, and frowned. "What, like mass hypnosis? Such a thing exists?"

The captain nodded. "Precicely."

Vincent clenched his fists. "What the hell kind of man could actually succeed at that?!"

"Exactly. No normal man could, hence why we are all taking this case very seriously." The captain rubbed his forehead. "This person may strike again, and if he is capable of such a terrible thing as mass hypnosis, I don't even want to think about all the dreadful things he could do with that ability."

* * *

**Nine Thirty. PM**

* * *

Sebastian stared down at the body under him. It was still warm, the heart was still beating, and breath was coming out. A healthy body. Just moments ago, he'd finished devouring the soul of Ciel Phantomhive II, the girl was no more.

Now he was waiting. He'd never attempted anything like this before, he didn't even know if it would really work or not. Sebastian cupped the side of the girl's relaxed face.

Her heart started pounding, and he smiled. So that's how it goes.

Sebastian trailed a kiss up her neck and along her jaw, stopping just short of her lips. Her heart was beating so loudly and quickly he could hear it with complete clarity.

"Young master." He lowered his head so his lips were next to a shell like ear "Won't you come out to play?"

The girl suddenly inhaled deeply, and her back arched under him. Unsure of what would happen, Sebastian held her wrists down lest his young master lashed out in his confusion and hurt himself.

Ciel's breaths were erratic for a few moments, he was getting used to having to use lungs again, Sebastian mused. His fingers flexed, testing his new mobility that he had control over. He opened his eyes, gazing up into dark copper ones.

The demon stared back down into those endlessly royal blue eyes, he could see the soul behind them, one that was familiar and welcome.

"Sebastian…" His name was breathed out with a sound of relief.

"Yes, my Lord. It's me."

They gazed into each other's eyes, the silence thick, a blanket that covered them. Forty three years they had been apart. Just seven shy of half a century.

It was definitely Ciel under him. His favorite master, the only one who at the end had not begged for his life, but rather offered it as a gift to Sebastian.

The scent of the body had changed from that overly sweet confection like one, to something more complex. Sweetly bitter, like the darkest, richest chocolate. Yet spiced, so perfectly it brought out a wholly unique fragrance, it hit the back of Sebastian's tongue and he could taste Ciel's soul from memory. The finest meal he'd ever had.

He leaned down and kissed his lord once again, his hands smoothed up Ciel's sides and cupped his face. Ciel reciprocated back, their lips moving against each other in harmony as though this was a continuation from where they left off, as though they had never been separated. In a way, they were. Sebastian supposed. They were just picking up where they came from, starting anew yet they weren't.

It was still the same. A different body, a different time period. Yet, the same bond between them.

They languidly kissed for a few more moments, reestablishing themselves and each other. Either one assuring the other that this was indeed, real and that they were back together once again.

Sebastian gently pulled away, his eyes widening a little when he saw Ciel smiling up at him lightly. It was a very rare gesture that actually met his master's cobalt eyes, and Sebastian ingrained it into his head. As lovely as Ciel was when he was being wicked, he was just as beautiful when he was happy.

He smiled back down at his lord, "How do you feel?"

Ciel groaned lightly as he tried to get up, his movements were slow and tentative. "I feel…heavy."

Sebastian placed a hand under Ciel's back, and pulled the pseudo girl towards him until he was sitting up. "You haven't moved a body around by yourself for quite some time, it's understandable. I believe you'll get used to moving by yourself soon."

"Sebastian."

Said demon looked at Ciel to show he was listening. "My lord?"

"We are going to have a chat about this." Ciel gestured to the female body he was currently in, frowning when he noticed the breasts on his chest and looked pointedly back at Sebastian. "A very. Long. Chat."

The older smiled back, "Of course my Lord. I was expecting as much."

Ciel ran a hand over his eyes. "However, I'm too tired to engage in any proper conversation about it right now. Where are we?"

Sebastian picked Ciel up, and situated him on the bed better before he stood and walked across the room. "We're in a mansion."

"Whose?"

The demon turned more of the lights in the room on, and Ciel squinted slightly until his eyes could accommodate the light. "Count Nathaniel Peres. The owner of two factories. I killed the master and entranced the servants. As far as they're concerned, I'm the master of this mansion."

"None of his kin noticed?"

Sebastian shook his head. "He has no kin. And he had a weak constitution and so very rarely left the mansion. He communicated with his factories with letters and had his butler phone them. Besides, I've only been here for about a week. No long enough for anyone from the outside world to become aware of my falsehood."

Ciel nodded. "Alright then. Very good. What are we doing?"

The demon sat back down on the bed. "We're figuring out what we're doing next. Firstly, about you. Are you alright?" Sebastian gestured vaguely at Ciel's current form.

Ciel looked down at his female body. His granddaughter's body. Ugh. "Why on earth couldn't I have been in James' body?" He replied with a frown as he continued to stare at his form. "This is all different shades of wrong."

Sebastian smiled. "I personally find you adorable, young master."

Ciel glared at him. "Shut up."

The manservant chuckled before he sobered. "I'm glad you're feeling very much yourself, however there's a slight matter we must attend to." He had taken a cloth out of his pocket and was wiping away at the dried blood on his hand. "Oh. That reminds me."

The demon slipped a ring off of his left ring finger and placed the heavy jewelry into Ciel's hand. "This should go rightfully back to you, I think."

Ciel looked down at the still beautiful ring. The blue stone glittered, even in the feeble light that was cast in the room. It was a ring that had seen his all of his predecessor's deaths. It was proof that he was the head of the Phantomhive name. The ring that had been broken by his fiancée, and magically repaired by the creature before him.

Years ago, right before the demon took his soul, Ciel had given the ring to Sebastian. He had given it to him…because more than anything he didn't want the demon to forget him.

The younger stared at it a moment longer before he took Sebastian's hand in his, and slipped the ring back on his third finger.

His devil inclined his head to him in confusion. "Young master?"

"It was a gift." Ciel answered simply. "I gave it to you full heartedly. I may be back yet I want you to keep it."

Sebastian's eyes softened, almost imperceptibly though Ciel of course noticed.

"I'll treasure it then, my lord." The devil admitted to his Faust.

Ciel looked up at Sebastian for a few moments. "You do realize of course, that our roles are reversed now? To be honest, I'm a little wary of my current situation."

Sebastian frowned, perplexed. "My lord?"

The younger raised an eyebrow, as though he thought Sebastian was being slow. "Your end of the contract is done. You did service for me, and helped me achieve my goals. I gave my soul to you, to do whatever you liked. No where did we say that you _had_ to devour me, and you didn't. At least not completely." He pressed a finger against Sebastian's chest. "My soul belongs to you now. _You're_ the master, not me."

The demon stared at Ciel, his scarlet eyes incrementally widening by the second, and his mouth silently fell partly open.

"Oh, God." Ciel was shaking his head back and forth, "I don't know whether to laugh my guts up or worry for your mental health. _Please_ don't tell me you actually_ forgot_! You! You, of all people to forget something as monumental as _that_. "

Sebastian cleared his throat, to cover up the awkwardness of the situation. "I didn't forget." Sebastian insisted. "I've been so focused on bringing you back; it slipped my mind a little."

Ciel smirked at him. "Perhaps you're getting senile in your old age?"

Sebastian hit him in the face with one of the small fluffy throw pillows that were on the bed. "Perish the thought, young master." He answered with an icy smile.

Ciel threw the pillow back at Sebastian, though missed spectacularly when the demon easily dodged it. "Anyway, my point before you distracted me with your horrific absent-mindedness was that you don't have to call me by those titles anymore, as I'm technically not your master. Just my name would suffice, unless you prefer calling me with a formal designation."

Sebastian looked back at him, a thoughtful expression on his face and contemplated what Ciel had just said for a minute.

"Ciel." He finally said out loud, tasting it and the way the syllables of the French name rolled off his tongue easily.

He'd never called his young master by his name before. Never. Not even in the past when they'd had coupled together, or had their trysts. Always 'My Lord' or 'Young master".

Sebastian suddenly pulled Ciel towards him, pressing their lips together and murmured "Ciel" into the kiss. The name, he'd heard it thousands of times, yet it was delightfully foreign to his tongue. It was almost marveling in a way, to think that only now he was able to say it.

He pulled away; smiling at the very light red on the younger's face. "What about you?" Ciel asked, and Sebastian blinked at him. "I mean, do you want me to keep calling you Sebastian or do you want me to call you by your Name? I feel the need to tell you this, that alias you came up with is amusing. Bastian Lashamp? The way you scrambled the letters of your Name to form the surname was clever."

Sebastian chuckled before he hummed in thought. "No. I'm fond of the title you gave me, I'd prefer that. However, my Name is useful for difficult situations. It's an important touchy, subject. I'll talk to you about that later though."

Ciel nodded. "Good. What exactly is the plan, Sebastian?"

Sebastian smiled. "You have a choice to make young mas-Ciel."

"A choice?" The younger asked, puzzled.

The demon continued to smile. "If you want to leave the Phantomhive name behind, we would have to leave England or at least Southern England. Anyone in the region would recognize you, I'm afraid. We wouldn't have much choice."

His master nodded, looking down at the female body he was in. "That's quite true."

"Or we could stay. And you could control the name Phantomhive through your grandson."

Ciel frowned. "James? What does he have to do with this?"

"I used my Voice on him. To make him aware of his subconscious mind, and act on it. I found out quite a few interesting…thoughts from him. I devised a plan for him, which he executed well."

Sebastian threaded his fingers though Ciel's hair. "The first interesting fact is he hates his father; your son. He wishes to kill him."

Ciel rolled that thought around in his head a little. "Well. I've seen how fantastically he's failed at being a proper head of the Phantomhive family, and I feel no inclination to stop him."

The demon smiled, "Of course you don't. Secondly…this was quite intriguing."

"Oh? And was is that?" Ciel asked.

Sebastian continued to run his fingers through the dark silver hair. "James has been secretly in love with his sister for years."

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "I have no clue what to say to that. I'm hardly in any position to judge him, considering everything you and I have done in the bedroom."

Sebastian smirked, and traced his fingertips down Ciel's pale neck and his other hand rested on Ciel's back, lightly plucking out the small buttons on the back. "Yes. And the office…and the kitchen…and the bathroom…and the walls…and the garden at night…Oh, and the billiard table that one time."

Ciel rolled his eyes. "Yes, our sexual exploits seemed to have no prejudice against any available surface." He shivered a little when Sebastian's fingers caressed the now bare skin of his back.

"Really? 'Seemed'? As in past tense?"

He kissed Ciel, and simultaneously pushed him back against the pillows. "I'll be honest. I've always been a bit curious as to what sex with you would be like if you were a woman. I did love your male body very much though." Sebastian admitted as he slid the top of the dress down so he could kiss in between Ciel's soft breasts.

Ciel glared up at Sebastian, though it was a half hearted one. "You whore."

The demon pushed the dress up past Ciel's thighs and without warning pressed a hand up in between his legs, making Ciel suck in a gasp when he continuously moved his fingers.

Sebastian kissed Ciel's ear, as the younger writhed under him. "Mmm. But for you to already be warm and wet like this…must mean you are one too."

Ciel's face was a lovely shade of crimson. "Shut up."

Sebastian kissed the 'girl' under him deeply before pulling away with a sly smile. "There will be plenty of time for your loving entreaties and for us to rekindle that part of our bond later."

"_You're_ the one who started stripping me and pounced me." Ciel muttered indignantly.

The demon pretended to ignore him. "So, what shall we do?" He asked as he looked down at Ciel (whom was rearranging his clothes). "Leave England? Or stay with Phantomhive?"

Ciel ran a hand through Sebastian's soft hair, it was an enormous decision. Both sounded enticing yet repellent. "I'm not sure," He answered tiredly. "We'd have to figure out exactly what to do. Where to go, if we leave and what we can do what we get there. Ah, and I'm sure the police are looking for, me--I mean my granddaughter. Or will be soon, anyway. Not sure how we'd cover that up. And also-"

Sebastian pressed a finger against Ciel's lips to silence him. He pulled the younger to the edge of the bed and carefully began taking off the cumbersome ball gown. With practiced ease, he removed all of Ciel's garments. Sebastian stood up and placed the gown on a chair before rifling through one of the wardrobes, procuring a long white night shirt.

Ciel watched Sebastian's movements, feeling like it was the eighteen hundreds again and it was just a regular night, after work or solving a case for the Queen. Sebastian put the night shirt on him and deftly put the small buttons together before slipping the ribbon and hair pin out of Ciel's hair.

He lightly pulled his fingers through the long ringlets to loosen them, smiling when Ciel leaned into his touch.

Sebastian picked Ciel up and pulled the covers over him. "You're tired, understandable. You haven't been a dominant consciousness in a body for over forty years. We'll sleep on this before a decision is made, when you're well rested and lucid."

Ciel nodded, suddenly exhausted. Sebastian straightened and was about to walk to the door when he felt a hand grab the back of his jacket. He looked back at Ciel, curious.

"I don't know why I need to mention this again." Ciel said in a low voice, almost a soft growl. "But you said you'd be by my side always. Where do you think you're going?"

Sebastian turned back, and smiled. "My apologies, force of habit…Ciel."

He walked back over to the wardrobe, out of Ciel's line of sight. He came back a few seconds later, wearing a very loose dark button up night shirt and matching sleeping pants.

Ciel chuckled. "Night clothes. I never thought I'd see you wearing such things. I don't even think you wore those back then."

"I don't require sleep, as you know." Sebastian turned the lights off, throwing the room in darkness. "However I enjoy it on occasion." The bed dipped under Sebastian's weight and he slid under the covers next to Ciel. Unlike his companion, Sebastian could see even better in the dark than he could in the light.

He could tell Ciel was straining to see his face, before the younger relaxed when he realized it was futile. There wasn't even any moonlight out tonight. He laughed softly and took one of Ciel's hands, bringing it towards him to rest against the side of his own face.

Sebastian didn't expect Ciel to lean towards him and accurately kiss him on the lips. It was pitch black, yet Ciel had kissed him perfectly spot on with out missing and kissing his chin or nose on accident.

Ciel stayed close to him, and Sebastian was hesitant at first before he wrapped his arms around his small cohort.

They'd kissed. They'd ran hands over each other 'd fucked…many times and simultaneously.

Embracing, holding hands, or gentle loving touches were foreign to them. Their relationship was not the kind from sweet innocent fairy tales. They'd met because of Ciel's hate, anger, and hurt. They'd come together because of Ciel's desperation for someone who understood him, someone who wouldn't judge him.

An angel, a good person, a saint judges.

A wicked devil does not.

Sebastian didn't mind giving this soft gesture a try though, it was…strange yet enjoyable.

Ciel seemed willing as well, and lightly pressed his lips against Sebastian's exposed collar bone before exhaustion over took him.

* * *

Sorry for not updating for a while...sorry. School got in the way. And I watched some Kuroshitsuji for inspiration. (cough) That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Oy. Vote on my profile please. VOTE. 8D

I apologize if they seem out of character. I guess I can be given a little leeway, and say that Ciel was twentyish when he "died" so he and Sebastian's relationship/personality was a bit different from when Ciel was thirteen...Now I'm just covering up for my ass. =.=

For the previous poll:

Ciel I coming back, regardless of gender won with a 39% vote.  
Ciel I coming back and somehow becoming a boy came second with a 30% vote.  
Ciel I coming back and staying in a girl's body game third with a 23% vote.  
And lastly, Ciel II staying as the main character lost terribly by only a 6% vote. I can't say I blame you, she annoyed the piss out of me.

Oh, and I realize the percentage doesn't add up to 100%. I'm just as confused as you are. What the hell? XD


	5. Revealing Whispers

"_Baby,_

_I don't know the lock from the key, _

_but I know one of them is you,_

_and the other one's me_."

Rise Up

By Diane Birch.

* * *

Ciel woke up.

A strange sensation, one he had forgotten. He had been dormant while ensnared in the soul of his granddaughter, though he hadn't been exactly 'asleep'. His eyes opened to greet a pair of copper red ones directly in front of him, and for long minutes they simply stared into each other silently.

Ciel broke the comfortably quiet air first, "I thought it wasn't real. That I'd made it up."

Sebastian's eyes continued to gaze the never orbs of never ending royal blue in front of him. "As did I."

The younger of the two ran a hand through his hair sleepily before sitting up. He looked down at his body, frowning. "Sebastian."

"Hmm?"

"What on earth am I going to do? I'm a _woman's _body." Ciel sighed and looked at his companion warily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me you can change me into a man?"

Sebastian chuckled. "I'm afraid I can't just switch your body so easily like that. I can't even change my _own_ gender, though I can change my form to look like other men. The most I could do for you is make the_ illusion_ that you were male, you'd still be female though. Don't worry though."

Ciel frowned. "Why not?"

"I took care of it."

He scowled. "You took care of _what_? I'm not a man, so as far as I'm concerned you haven't _taken care_ of anything."

Sebastian continued smirking, clearly thrilled that Ciel was frustrated that he couldn't understand what the hell he was talking about. After all these years he still took joy in these mind games they played. He decided to be nice though and leaned close to Ciel, so that their lips were almost touching.

"I put an enchantment on you. While you were sleeping." Sebastian said in his low voice.

Ciel blinked at him before frowning suspiciously, "What kind?"

"You won't be a woman forever. Just for now." He replied, smiling cryptically.

His human sighed, clearly exasperated. "Fine. When am I going to turn into a man?"

"When you die." Sebastian answered, still smiling.

Ciel's mouth actually fell open. "_WHAT_?!"

The demon leaned back a little. "And you can't commit suicide, that's cheating. And I can't kill you or it won't work. That's the problem with spells; they'll work but come with irritating little regulations attached to them." Sebastian sighed a little and for all his tone might have been complaining how difficult growing orchids are.

In fury, Ciel grabbed the front of Sebastian's night shirt and pulled him so they were eye level. "What are you talking about?! I'll be dead! What makes you think I'll give a damn about what gender I am when I'm a rotting corpse?!"

"Oh. So you _want_ to be a woman for all eternity?" Sebastian asked with mock innocent curiosity.

Ciel stared long and hard at Sebastian before tiredly shoving him away and rubbing his temples. "I suddenly have a horrible headache. I suspect _you're_ the cause. Would you please just explain to me what it is you're blathering in riddles about?"

Sebastian did his usual sudden ability to change his mood, like a flip of a coin from mischievous to sober. He was still smiling in that trademark way of his.

"I can't just flip your gender. You're set in this body for the rest of your life, whether you like it or not. I can't change that fact."

"Alright…" Ciel said warily. "So what did you do?"

"When you die, you'll be given a new body. I know you're not religious at all, but you know how they say when you die you'll become an angel and go to Heaven?" By 'they' he obviously meant anyone who believed in such a thing.

"Yes, of course."

"That's completely false. Priests and people who actually have read the bible will tell you the truth. Humans don't turn into angels when they go to Heaven. They're given unbreakable, eternally healthy and youthful bodies. They're immortals, and will never die, will never suffer, will never feel any kind of pain, will never become ill. They are given brand new forms. The main mystery humans try to solve is whether or not they will have the appearance as they did of when they were in their prime fitness, or if they are given new bodies that don't look like themselves at all."

"What does this have to do with that…that…spell you put on me?"

"The same concept applies to Hell. Except, those immortal bodies can feel pain and can suffer, a sensation of overwhelming starvation is one example, another is that though they can't really be diseased they can experience the illusion that they are. I hear it's quite unpleasant."

Ciel's face was unreadable and blank when he asked, "I thought I couldn't go to either place. Are you telling me I'm going to Hell when I die?"

Sebastian nodded. "Well, of course. I didn't devour you completely, so you never technically died in the first place. And, delicious as you were I'm not going to be doing that again."

His master's expression was still blank. "I see." Ciel finally said after a long moment and his eyes suddenly looked determined. "I chose this path, so I'll follow through it steadfastly."

The demon actually looked baffled. Sebastian took in Ciel's rigid posture and the grim set of his lips, trying to understand what brought on this unexpected reaction.

Oh.

Oh, of _course_ he would think that! What else would he think when Sebastian told him he was going to _Hell_ when he died?

Sebastian chuckled lightly before he seized Ciel and pulled him tight against him, trapping his master in his embrace.

"Young Mas-Ciel. Ciel, that's not what I meant."

"Didn't you?" His dear cohort asked, his voice slightly hollow.

"No. Yes, you're going to Hell. No, you're not going to be tortured for eternity. If anyone will, it'll be me." Sebastian added darkly and his grip tightened. "Hell isn't all fire and brimstone you know. It's another world entirely."

Ciel pulled away to gaze up at Sebastian, he looked confused and exhausted and asked tiredly, "What?"

Sebastian thought quickly how to explain this to a mortal.

"There is the Universe. You understand that much right?"

Ciel sighed and leaned his forehead against Sebastian's chest. "Yes. I read a book on it many, many years ago. The universe is infinite. It has billions and billions of galaxies inside of it, which in turn each galaxy has millions of stars and varying numbers of planets."

"That's right. However, the Universe is just one world."

"I don't understand." Ciel commented.

"I know," Sebastian admitted. "I've never tried to explain the concept to a human before. I've never had to explain it, period. Everyone where I come from knows it as fact as easily as you know the sky is blue."

"Try again then." The young human coaxed.

"Every human has their own world. Their own world consists of the people they love, their family, those they are fond of, those they hate, their home, and their jobs. That is their own private world, their reality." Sebastian thought a moment.

"Most humans think of the Earth as _the_ world. That's false. The entire Universe is _the_ world, and those who likewise share the Universe with them. Every living thing in _this_ Universe is part of that world."

Ciel nodded a little, his forehead rubbing against Sebastian's shoulder. "Fine. I get that now."

"Okay, so imagine the Universe as one world. There isn't only one Universe though. There are more than any one person could count in several lifetimes. They vary, each one is different yet similar to the other. And God made all of them. Once more, all of those infinite Universes are all part of one gigantic world."

"Sebastian. What, does this have to do with _anything_? I'd love for you to enlighten me on that." Ciel said, glaring half heartedly up at him.

"You humans have this assumption that Heaven is somewhere in the sky, and Hell is in the core of the Earth. That's completely untrue. Heaven and Hell are each a separate world. They're huge, and just as infinite in size as the one that holds all those universes in one world. Hell is another universe. Another plane of existence with different realms constructed for certain sins, and likewise entire other realms exclusively for my kind."

Ciel was quiet for a few minutes before he looked up at him. "Sebastian."

"Yes."

He sighed, sounding annoyed yet weary. "You could have just simply said: 'Don't worry. You're going to Hell but you're not going to burn for eternity.' And left it as that, instead of making me think about things I've never bothered contemplating before."

Sebastian chuckled. "What? You've never wondered about the meaning of life before?"

Ciel sighed and pulled away. "No. I was always too busy for things like that. So, I'm stuck as a woman until I die? And then I'll go to Hell as a man? With you?"

Sebastian smiled. "Yes. With me." He pinched Ciel's cheek. "No hellfire for you, unless you particularly irritate me."

Ciel slapped his hand away and rolled his eyes. "Fabulous. How horrible can being a woman be?"

"Have you heard of menstruation?"

He blushed a deep red and glared at Sebastian. "Yes, of_ course_ I've heard of that! I _was_ married for four or so years as you know."

The demon next to him hummed, "Oh good. If you didn't…well, that would be somewhat hilarious. You'd probably think your insides were bleeding out and that you were about to die." He grinned at the idea of Ciel panicking and completely hysterical like the one time Sebastian and Madam Red had forced him to wear a corset and he was convinced his guts were going to gush out.

Ciel glared and Sebastian's face turned a little somber. "Also, on a less physical note, there's a reason why being a woman is difficult."

His human companion raised an eyebrow to indicate he was listening.

"We're in a different era from the one you died in. The nineteen hundreds. And the year is November of nineteen thirty-eight, to be exact. I'm afraid women don't have much more rights than they did in your time, my lord."

"I thought I said you didn't have to call me that."

"Baby steps." Sebastian replied before he continued. "You're in a very different position politically from where you used to be. Before, you were the soul heir of your family and because you were male you inherited your family's business with ease…even though you were practically still a child."

"You're saying I don't have power? Is that what you're telling me Sebastian?" Ciel didn't look pleased. Not. One. Bit. He wasn't angry at Sebastian specifically, just his situation.

His demon sighed. "Yes. In a nutshell, that's what I'm saying. You don't like it, but you're a young woman in a prestigious family. You're only useful to your 'father' as being married off to a richer family to strengthen his assets. You'd be expected to be a pretty little wife and give your husband heirs."

Ciel actually looked disgusted. "And right now, my 'father' is actually my son. And here I never thought my life could become even more warped than what it once was."

Sebastian smirked a little. "Truly. You're a magnet for these strange situations, I've noticed. I enjoy it because it makes _my_ life interesting though."

Ciel snorted, "I think that's candying it up a bit. 'Strange situations', indeed." He started to get out of the bed, but was stopped when Sebastian slipped a hand around his ankle. The younger turned and blinked at him. "What?"

Sebastian smiled; a purely sinful expression and his eyes seemed to glow a little. "I think a reunion is in order." He pulled Ciel towards and under him, hiking up his night shirt up well past his female thighs.

Ciel put his hands firmly on Sebastian's chest. "Wait, we need to talk about this."

Long fingers slipped up under the elastic of Ciel's underwear, and pulled them down creamy smooth legs. "We need to talk about sex?" Sebastian kissed his partner's neck, and used his teeth a little.

"N-No. We need to talk about what we're going to do, and more importantly why you didn't finish me off the time I gave you permission to devour me. And why you want to take me to Hell with you, instead of just eating me."

Sebastian was unbuttoning Ciel's shirt with ease, despite the smaller's best efforts to make it difficult. He ran a hand up Ciel's soft stomach, up to his female chest. "We can talk about the first afterward. The answer to the second is much simpler than you think it is, Ciel." He purred the name before he kissed his favorite master deeply, and pulled off his own night shirt in between kisses.

Ciel glared at him, he hated how Sebastian could use sex to manipulate him. He was really, _really_ good at it. It made Ciel surrender control, it made him vulnerable, that such a ridiculous, carnal thing could make him bend so easily. He took comfort in that if it was anyone other than Sebastian, he would have poked their eyes out with his thumbs by now.

He stopped resisting and wrapped his arms around his demon. Sebastian had left Ciel's long night shirt on, though it was unbuttoned and he was naked otherwise. Sebastian was shirtless himself yet still had his night pants on.

There was something strangely erotic about being partially dressed during sex. Maybe it suggested a lustful rush, in such haste to taste that blaze of terrible passion and pleasure that they couldn't possibly be bothered to properly take all their clothes off.

And they rightly were. The last time they were together in such a way was so long ago, and they were starved for the other. Evidence of this was the way Sebastian's fingers left harsh bruises on his human's thighs and hips, how Ciel's own nails dug a little too deep in his demon's flesh and caused blood to bead out of the skin.

Ciel hissed from the raw pain when Sebastian thrust inside of his female opening.

_Of course_ this girl had been a virgin. _Of course_ it hurt like hell Ciel thought with aggravation.

Blood scented the air along with the smell of heat and sex, it was a heady combination, especially for Sebastian whom could taste Ciel's soul on his tongue.

The flavor had never really gone away, even after he devoured that girl barely hours ago. He had a truly possessive master, so possessive that even his soul had stained Sebastian in every sense of the word. And Ciel was indeed his master still, despite what the human argued about contract technicalities. If Ciel was not, then he would not constantly be in Sebastian's thoughts as he was. Sebastian would not always consider his 'young master' in all of his plans, both long and short term. Ciel had somehow won ownership of him, along the years of Sebastian's initial servitude to him. And the demon was alright with it. Truly, he was.

Ciel gasped as the pain had changed into something more pleasurable, the hurt was still there but the pleasure was more so. He heard himself gasp and whimper softly, noises he'd kill himself before letting anyone else besides Sebastian hear them. It was especially bad because his girl's voice was higher pitched, and his sounds of pleasure embarrassed him more than they did before.

Teeth were at his neck, and he rolled his hips up in encouragement. It was probably very demented of Ciel, but he was attracted to the thrill of knowing that Sebastian was deadly and could very easily kill him. Maybe it was because he was so used to being in control, of being dominant in everything else and this was the one and only situation he could let go and let Sebastian lead.

It was a bit strange, having sex as a woman. To be honest though, it wasn't a whole lot different, just less painful since women were actually built to be penetrated this way.

Ciel's head tilted back and he moaned, tangling his fingers into ink colored hair. Sebastian kissed up his white throat and open mouthed on the lips. Ciel was…glad. He was relieved that there was no strange awkwardness between them, and they appeared to be picking up right where they left off at. He knew they argued often and had their battles of wits with each other, but when they were truly on the outs, Ciel found the tense drawn out silences aggravating and made him anxious, he knew Sebastian felt the same.

Sebastian emitted a moan that was half a growl, a feral noise that Ciel had grown accustomed him making during sex. His eyes opened to look into Ciel's, and they seemed to have that same fire like glow they did when he was in a violent or demonic mood. His eyes stared into Ciel's, and the intensity of the gaze seemed to penetrate Ciel to his core making him shudder and gasp out his completion. Sebastian made that growling, pleasured noise again as tight heat clenched around him. That, the glazed pleasure drugged haze in Ciel's eyes and the taste of his soul on his tongue caused him to reach his own rapturous peak, tightly holding his master in his embrace as he came.

"That, was completely uncalled for." Ciel said in between pants, leaning his head back against the bed. They were actually lying diagonally across it, instead of the proper way so there weren't any pillows by them.

"Yes, and completely enjoyable." Sebastian replied with a trademark smile "You may now get off the bed and dress now." He stroked a hand down Ciel's side. "Unless you want me to help you."

Ciel rolled his eyes, "No, I'm sure I'll manage. My back doesn't hurt."

"Mmm. It's too my knowledge that women don't usually hurt after sex unless they do it repeatedly in one night, roughly…"

Ciel stepped off the bed and winced. "Ow."

"…Or if they were virgins." Sebastian added as he slinked off the bed himself and gripped the human's shoulder. "Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

"This is nothing compared to our real first time."

Sebastian smiled fondly. "I remember. You couldn't stand to move for the rest of the day."

"You beast, you don't have to look so cheerful remembering it!"

The demon was still smiling. "I find it endearing when you're helpless. Pride without pride, remember?"

Ciel sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'm not going to have a lengthy conversation with you about your fetishes. I need clothes. Where are they?"

His older companion looked Ciel over. "Hmmmm."

"What?" Ciel asked, getting impatient.

"I'm deciding if I should dress you in male or female clothing. Both sound enticing to me."

The human groaned. "I don't care if I'm in a woman's body, I don't want to wear girl clothes. By the way, what are we going to do?"

Sebastian had turned towards the wardrobe in the room, he quickly dressed in a dark vest, shirt and pants. He then pulled out a black dress with a white collar and silver buttons up the back. He handed it to his human with a smirk.

Ciel glared at the garment as though Sebastian had just offered him a dead rat. "Are you deaf? What did I just say?"

"Women don't wear pants often in this era, and you look undoubtedly female. It would seem odd. And we're going back to Phantomhive, so it'll be all the more strange if you're seen in men's clothing."

Ciel took his shirt off with irritation, unbuttoned the back of the article and slipped the dress over his head. Sebastian came up behind him, fastening the sliver buttons that went up the back of the dress. "I'll find you some wool tights, it's rather cold."

The younger nodded, sighing a little. "What are we going to do at Phantomhive? You said it yourself, I'm powerless now."

Ciel sat down on the bed, and reached a hand out to take the leggings from Sebastian but the demon shook his head and crouched down in front of his Faust instead. The demon put Ciel's naked foot on his raised knee before slipping the stocking on his leg, kissing the inside of Ciel's thigh before it was covered. He did the same to the other leg, and looked up at the pseudo woman.

"James is in love with his sister, remember? He loves her enough that I was able to convince him to threaten Henry, though I'm the one who killed him. You're in her body. We can use that to an advantage."

Ciel frowned, "It's bad enough that my conscious is fine with you devouring my granddaughter's soul and then me possessing her body.I'm not sleeping with my grandson if that's what you're implying."

A dark look passed through Sebastian's eyes before he smiled pleasantly at Ciel. "No. You're not going to sleep with him. He has morals, and I doubt he'd ever act on his affections, unless pressured to do so. That company of yours has grown weak under the direction of your son; he's a poor business man."

Ciel smirked, "You think I can do better?"

Sebastian stood up, and helped Ciel off of the bed. He returned the smirk. "No. I _know _you can."

The human chuckled. "Alright, I'll take your vote of confidence. So, are we leaving now? Do you even have a story you can tell the police whom are undoubtedly searching for my granddaughter?"

"And Elizabeth." Sebastian added.

Ciel stared up at him blankly. "Elizabeth? Why would they be searching for her?"

Sebastian cleared his throat. "Because, she's here."

"Here?" Ciel asked, as though he couldn't quite believe it.

"Yes." The demon admitted, albeit somewhat awkwardly.

The Phantomhive blinked, before he shook his head with a resigned air and made a sweeping, dismissive like motion with his hand. "Very well then, let's fetch her and take her back to the mansion with us."

* * *

They headed to a door that was along the grandiose hallway, it was eerily silent. Ciel would have expected to see at least a maid wandering around doing her rounds. It was the morning, but the hallway was silent except for the soft footfalls of Sebastian and Ciel's feet as they walked. Sebastian opened the dark wood door before closing it behind them when they were in the room.

Sebastian looked down at Ciel, becoming concerned when he noticed his companion's face was pale and strained.

"Ciel?" He pressed his hand against his master's forehead which was a bit too warm. "You're feverish. Are you alright?" Sebastian crouched down a little to get a better look at the youth.

Ciel nodded. "I'm fine. I'm just sort of tired. I don't think I'm quite used to moving a body around." He glared. "It didn't help that you _jumped_ be back there."

Sebastian chuckled as he straightened back up. "If you can make snarky comments, then you_ must_ be alright." He pointed in front of him. "She's over there." Ciel followed the gesture to the figure.

Elizabeth had been carefully placed on the bed in the room, and was sleeping so soundly Armageddon could have happened and she'd have been none the wiser.

Ciel blinked. "She's sleeping?"

Sebastian sighed. "I'm afraid she insisted on coming, and I decided it would be less traumatic for her than just leaving her at the Beaufort mansion without a memory of what happened to her granddaughter."

Without warning, Sebastian picked Ciel up and carried him over to her, carefully depositing his master on the edge of the bed. Ciel looked down at her for a few moments before he hesitantly ran a hand through her soft golden hair, a somber expression in his face. "She's alright?"

"Of course, I just put her into a sleep. She won't wake up unless I will it." Sebastian answered.

He looked back down at Elizabeth. "She's still beautiful. She's the only woman I've ever found attractive or even tolerable for that manner."

She was fifty three, but Elizabeth had aged gracefully and her face was not as filled with wrinkles as other women her age were. Her hair was still the same golden blond, save for some streaks of silver that only added to her beauty, making her look distinguished and ethereal.

Sebastian nodded in agreement. "Yes, she is. And she's still so incredibly kind. She'll be an ally, as she was against Vincent marrying her granddaughter off."

Ciel withdrew his hand from Elizabeth's hair, and looked up at Sebastian. "You'll have to enchant her, along with anyone who thought I was kidnapped. Including the police. And the witnesses at the party." The former count rubbed his temples in slight aggravation. "Is that going to even be possible? There were so many. Also, about this mansion what are you going to do with it?"

"I'm going to keep this place for now. Oh, and that's all been taken care of." Sebastian remarked lightly.

"Excuse me?" Ciel stared at him, almost with disbelief. "Taken care of? All of them? But even the servants at the Phantomhive mansion along with Vincent and James would need to have their memories altered."

Sebastian gazed down at Ciel, and stroked his face fondly before leaning down to press a kiss against his master's lips. He pulled back a little, and smiled slyly at the younger.

"What kind of lover would I be, if I could not even manage to do this for you?"

* * *

"_There are few who deny, at what I do I am the best, for my talents are renowned far and wide. _

_When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night, I excel without ever even trying._

_With the slightest little effort of my ghost like charm, I have seen grown men give out of shriek. _

_With a wave of my hand, and a well placed moan, I have swept the very bravest off their feet."_

Jack's Lament

Nightmare Before Christmas

* * *

**Author's notes: There's a new poll, so go vote okay? :D It's about Ciel.**

**Uhm *coughs* I'm truly sorry I haven't updated for so long. College has just been a total bitch lately. I'm really sorry, I'll try to update sooner this time.**

**Edit:10/27/09 I took the Tics for Tacs down. I realized it was just me ranting, and not pertinent to the story at all.  
**


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